Right away, the nose shows sweet cereal grain, oak, vanilla, chewy caramel candy, and a medicinal cherry syrup note. Compared to the first time tasting it, this pour felt more balanced, with less of the raw craft cereal character up front. As it opens, the cherry becomes stronger, while the sweet cereal and oat-like notes remain very present.
On the palate, this drinks very close to the nose. It opens with a strong craft whiskey profile: cereal grain, sweet oak, honey, vanilla, and cherry syrup. The cherry note builds with each sip, moving into sweet-and-sour cherry candy, medicinal cherry drops, and a light cinnamon spice that comes across like Red Hots candy. There is also a soft chewy caramel note, a touch of tobacco, and a pleasant viscosity that gives the whiskey a fuller mouthfeel.
The finish is medium to long, carrying sweet oak, cherry, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and that signature craft cereal note all the way through. There is a little heat at the end, and it drinks like it could be in the 110–120 proof range.
Overall, this is a good craft bourbon, but it benefits heavily from air. Give it time to open up and the experience improves. The cherry, honey, cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla notes become more expressive, while the craft grain character settles into the background a bit more. Based on the profile, this strongly comes across like a wheated bourbon.
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Dueling Grounds Linkumpinch Bourbon 6 Year Old is available at Unwind Bottle Shop. Order online for pickup or shipping where available.