BOURBON
94 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (Batch A117), 63.5%, $70
Here, a perfect harmony delivers crème brûlée, butterscotch, fruit, cinnamon, and rising cornbread. Right away complexity sets in, delivering salted baked almonds, cashews, dried apricot, pistachio gelato, Nutter But-ters, salted caramel popcorn, rye toast with brown sugar butter, and sugarcane. Somehow, a drop of water makes it even more complex, amplifying the butterscotch and present-ing cinnamon-soaked roasted pecans and almonds. Pure bliss; a must-sip.—FM
93 Wild Turkey Masters Keep Decades, 52%, $150
When earth meets sweet in whiskey, it’s a beautiful thing. Here, soil tilled deep, fresh- cut grass, and mushrooms meet leather and dark chocolate, followed by dill, oregano, and oak. Caramel and vanilla explode over a heavy dose of cinnamon. There’s more: apple fritters, spice, and saltwater taffy…
