Black Maple Hill 23

I am still fairly new to bourbon/whiskey and fumbling my way through it.  I have figured out that I do like rye’s though.  Old Potrero = yum.  If you can get your hands on a bottle.  However, for some time I have heard about the phenomenal flavor of the Black Maple Hill 23 from one friend and from another friend how he really wants to try it but just cannot locate a bottle of it.  He had all but given up on ever finding a bottle.  But as fortune would have it, I got word that K and L Wines had found a couple of bottles stashed away that a customer never picked up.  Without hesitation I jumped on picking up a couple of bottles – one for each of the aforementioned friends.  I finally was able to try some of this mythical whiskey last week.

Black Maple Hill is not an actual distillery – it is a product from Kentucky Bourbon Distiller’s, Ltd. which is more of a bottler than anything.  They purchase whiskey from other distillers, usually Heaven Hill.

Stats:
Single Barrel Rye Aged for 23 years
47.5% ABV

Color:  Dark amber – orange

Nose:  Tobacco leaves, orange peels, strong dark spices.

Palate:  Surprisingly smooth entry but then the spiciness of the rye comes marching through, malty on the back end, a little dry and bitter, oak, the dark spices start to come through and some molasses?

Finish:  long and spicy.

Comments:  There was definitely a lot more going on in this whiskey – I just wasn’t able to associate things I picked up with any one particular thing.  Quite frustrating!  I was expecting it to be a lot bolder and was really surprised at how smooth it was.  Not to say that it is boring in anyway!  A great whiskey and one that is pushing me to try even more.