Willett Family Estate 11 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, #2364, The Wine & Cheese Place / Copper Wax

Willett Family Estate 11 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, #2364 The Wine & Cheese Place / Copper Wax
Caramel, a bit of honey, some lemon peel, and a touch of apricot. Quite nice. With time there’s some polished oak, some cinnamon, and the caramel moves in the direction of maple syrup. With more time corn sweetness comes more to the fore and there’s more of a rye note too. A few drops of water bring out more of the fruit.
More rye and more spice on the palate which has quite a bite. The bite is all spicy—it’s not particularly woody/tannic. More citrus on the second sip (lemon). Seems to get more acidic with every sip. The acid aside this is quite drinkable and neat—no major alcohol burn. With time the acid calms down and some of the richer notes from the nose emerge; it does get woodier too though now. Water pushes back the wood and brings the spice and the brighter fruit back out—not as acidic now.
Long. The spicy bite takes a bit to abate and then there’s lasting menthol coolness and some pepper. As on the palate with water.