Nose: caramel, oak, surprisingly mild booze. After some time in the glass I catch some vanillin and a hint of something fresh and herbal (eucalyptus, evergreen).

Palate: Caramel first, with earthy oak, and then something really fun – the herbal notes hinted at in the nose begin to dance around the mouth. Reminds me of chartreuse. There’s an unexpected burst of tarry creosote (which is one of my favorite aromas, if you’re familiar). Dry bitter orange, raw almond, threshold levels of oxidation-related phenols and butterscotch. The latter don’t detract but rather add pleasing depth. The finish is short and sweet, with the oak and chartreuse herbal notes and bitter orange lingering briefly.

Rating: 7 / 10 – I love herbaceous spirits, and this one leans that way. The nose was a little mild and the finish somewhat short, and it lacked some darker notes that would’ve pushed this over the top. But the sweet richness of the palate and the creosote chartreuse flavors make it deliciously memorable. (Revisit. 1/2020: lots of white grape today. Very much tastes like brandy not bourbon. Fresh coconut. Spearmint. Some floral FB notes of white lilies. Toward the end of the glass increasingly dark flavors of cocoa, prunes and tobacco).

Nose: I think I’m getting to the point where I could call out LP blind. Got that fruity, funky, meaty thing that I love about them. After it sits the vanillin comes out. Sugar plums, pomegranate molasses (goes great on biryani!), freshly opened bags of green tea, lemon zest, and old damp wilting flowers. Man, this nose feels like it will keep evolving forever.

Palate: Thick, unctuous, savory Lou Pibous goodness. Reminds me a lot, in the balance toward spice and savory notes, of WT Rare Breed. But it’s got sweet grapes to spare and some of that rich umami flavor I’ve found in other casks from them. Other days I’d call it suet. Today to me it tastes just like crisp black sheets of nori. The finish is black pepper beef jerky dipped in unsweetened bakers chocolate. That is just what the finish is, so there’s no point in writing more about it.

Rating: 9 / 10 – Over all, I loved the nose then briefly experienced a flash of initial disappointment when it first hit my tongue. It lacked the level of lip-smacking fruity caramel that I remember experiencing in Cask #223, and the herb factor of the Lincoln Rd #183 (2003). But, I’m not sure, having drained my glass, whether that’s true at all. Any slight dig in quality could be chalked up to being in a different state of mind. A side by side of these beloved 2003-2004 casks def needs to be done but for now I consider all of them (2003 #183, 2004 #183 / 223 / 233) among my favorite ‘gnacs I’ve ever had.

Nose: Booze and oaky notes of vanillin, spice, and apple fritters.

Palate: Thick, intense and boozy, but also sweet, with hot spices (ginger, cinnamon, pepper), leather, candied plums and caramel frosting. The finish is exceedingly long, for a yak! Skol, prunes, lemon Ricola, cocoa nibs.

Rating: 8 / 10 – This was one of my first Lous Pibous, and (along with Cask #13) what impressed me was how much like a good bourbon this was — sweet, boozy, spicy, oaky scrumptiousness. After having it open for some months, I’m about to finish the bottle (makes me sad!) and figured I might as well finally review it. I like this a lot. It’s rich, intense, and oaky. And while the barrel character definitely overwhelms what fruit there was, this scratches a specific overaged bourbon itch.

Nose: A bit mild. Oak, chamomile, pleasant rooty and herbal notes of angelica and orris. Plus a meaty note. Fried chicken.

Palate: Effervescent sweets. Orange drink, purple drink and 7-up. Lemony acidity, Campari, black licorice (not the crazy salty Finnish ones, just regular mild American black stuff), and papaya. Plenty of oak, some of which still feels a bit green. The finish is not especially long, but pleasant sweet tea, creosote, and coriander seed.

Rating: 5 / 10 –  I love Pibous, almost everything I’ve had from them. I won’t say I’m disappointed, but relative to almost all other Pibous, this one was pretty mild and light. More in the vein of Lassalle 1991 and 1993, than the 1995 and 1999 which I preferred. But I won’t complain. It’s crazy drinkable and the price we got during the 20% off Black Friday sale was super appreciated.

Nose: Wow this is straight vanilla ice cream. How’d they do that? I thought they used French, not American oak. Fighting through the orchid pods, I find it has some of that wheater cherry pie thing going on. A la mode, in this case. Very PVW20. It’s very easy for the proof, with no methylbutanol or the like. Some tobacco and library book notes in there too. Can’t wait to taste this.

Palate: Wow. Buttery rich palate, almost too easy here, with no burn and nor tannin roughness. Torched creme brulee, licorice and fried fruit. Yum. This is one of my favorite finishes of any spirit I’ve ever had. Vanilla ice cream melting on the tongue for days. That licorice remains too. Earlier today, I treated myself to some of the salted licorice my dear, dear Swedish friends send me – so maybe that why it’s on my mind. Also. PSA: Salted licorice ice cream is a thing in Stockholm. I rate that stuff 10/10.

Rating: 9 / 10 – This is a beautiful spirit and a uniquely delicious vanilla bomb. Its oaky nose almost had me worried but the palate and finish got progressively sweeter. Just amazing yak.

Nose: Oh wow this has a real rummy funk, with gobs of red raspberry jam, crazy oily meatiness, and vanilla bean yogurt. What in the world is this going to taste like?!

Palate: Hits so sweet and simply explodes on the palate with thick caramel, black cherries, and toasted almonds. Spicy with candied ginger and black pepper. The savory notes of coriander seed, congealed duck blood, and Texas hickory smoke. I’ve never tasted anything like this. Finish is sweet caramel, oak, camphor, and more of those black cherries.

Rating: 10 / 10 – This is one of many 2004 LPs out there, so that vintage must’ve been a bumper Folle Blanche crop for some reason. But this one was special, being picked quite early, after just 13 years in oak, and has developed a legendary status. Straight sweet, rich deliciousness. Is it too sweet? Too rich? Too easy to enjoy? I don’t care. This may be my all-time favorite cask from my all-time favorite producer, and it will haunt me forever, especially knowing I’ll likely never taste it again.

Nose: Maple brown sugar oatmeal. White chocolate, candied citrus peels and vanilla malt. More sweet and less funky fruits than I usually get from LP.

Palate: Concentrated piquant sweetness. Spicy oak, pomegranate molasses and preserved lemons. Leather, allspice, ginger and dried apricots. What a consistently Moroccan combination of flavors. The finish is legit long! Charred oak, tobacco, dried peach, hint of mint, faint burnt raisins and burnt match heads.

Rating: 9 / 10 – There have been several legendary Lous Pibous casks but for those who have tried them all, this one gets named as “the best” as much as any other. So expectations are cranked up to 11 as I go into this. Overall, yes I love it. I’m gonna reserve my “top spot” for another Pibous cask (or two) but this one is still just unbelievable.