All that sits before me is a boon. Gifted by a man as big and kind as they grow in the great state of Missouri..... Must be something in the moonshine they feed the kids.  Thank you Bryan Siddle of Crown Valley for this one. This is a Moonshine sitting at 90 proof and barrel aged for 18 months with a bit of a twist, and I like twists. So let's get down to brass tax and dig into this baby.

Appearance: Pale straw gold with decent size leggings.  Not the 160 proof like Mama use to make but still pretty.

Aroma: Straw, mint, light vanilla notes with almost a rye bread like character. You can tell this is a young whisky but I like how it is developing.

Flavor: Heavy cinnamon, nutmeg, I mean heavy with a chewy rye bread, and almost dark cocoa and almond like flavor to it. Oak is a minor player in this game but the flavor of the whiskey is big, bold, and quite delightful.

Mouthfeel: Light tannin strike upfront, sitting heavy on the tongue with and oil like body, and finishes mellow and warm.

My thanks again Bryan, I am going to get my self some fine tobacco and enjoy this true Missouri style in Michigan! Cheers!

What I have here is a single barrel selection from the Heaven Hill distilleries. I tasted this at about 140 proof first when selecting the barrel. I remember it being very sweet with hefty heat (stop rhyming I meant it) with gobs and gobs of dried fruit, very little char character and a big full body. Let's give it a go cut down to 94 proof and I am assuming it has gone through some sort of filtering process because I do not see little char flakes rolling around in it. Elijah Craig 12 year usually runs around 25$ for a 750ml. However it will be the blended bourbon which is still a great value nonetheless.

Poured into a brandy snifter do to the fact I lost my only whisky snifter.
Appearance: Light cooper and straw golden around the edges. Legs are slow and straight coming down the sides with a gentle swirl.
Aroma: Sweet corn and caramel vanilla fill my nose with a solid alcohol presence, some light charring and almost a candied browned sugar aroma. Delightfully showing a true balanced bourbon.
Flavor: Oak up front with corn and almost a mixture of wheat and light rye character.  The fruit is apparent showing oranges,  candied apples, and rine, and a very distinctive drawn finish filled with charred oak and light tongue tannin. 
Mouthfeel: It is full and warming front to finish and definitely dry, even with all the fruit and sweet flavors I taste.
Overall: I do not know for the life of me why Elijah Craig sticks to a blended bourbon, the complexities and overall wonder of the single barrel is absolutely fantastic!