Smoke wagon uncut unfiltered

Nose: Mmm, chocolate forward and instantly bursting with that rich caramel I’ve come to expect out of Smoke Wagon offerings. Very level, apparent and approachable oak quality to this… This feels like a bit of an older blend on the first nose. Dried dates and an herbal plum. Dry leather, slight pepper and peanut brittle. This has a great funk to it on the nose I always enjoy; similar to what I dig about Booker’s batches. Citrus is trying to squeak out from a heavy, dusty corn profile. After a sip, things shift much more towards the wood grains with sawdust and walnut shells presenting sharply on the left nose. Vanilla bean, dry tobacco leaf and heavy butterscotch now. There’s a peanut shell that feels crushed under a large piece of oak. The tannic fruit bunch has returned strongly to the glass now – nice undulations of different profiles here. The empty glass smells of leather, sawdust, dark chocolate, coffee grounds, and vanilla sugar cookie.

Palate: First sip is pure silk! Cherry forward mouth feel. Wow, that went down like candy for a first sip of the day. Thick, salty caramel rises up from my chest long after the sip. Chocolate malt and a thick mouth feel are welcome additions to the linger here. A large sip and swish results in a slightly tannic fruit medley of plum, raisin and dark prunes. There’s a heaviness to the flavors, but an incredible lightness to the mouth coating; this batch is certainly an easy sipper. Taking this glass outside briefly drastically mellowed out the intensity and built up the richness of the caramel. It’s amazing what a little temperature change can do to a pour. Honey now is quite sweet! Leans in towards an Earl Gray hot toddy now. Yum! My last sip is starting to build in the heat department and brings with it sweet raisin, molasses and tiramisu.