Baker's 7 Year Single Barrel - 2023

The nose on Baker’s Single Barrel opens with just a bit of light alcohol, followed by rich, chewy caramel and dry oak. There are also wafts of baking spices, including nutmeg and vanilla, like a freshly opened package of Nilla Wafers. Finally, there’s a hint of light fruit, perhaps apple. The nose is really fantastic, with no signs of 107 proof heat. On the palate, Baker’s delivers sweet butterscotch and light oak. Again, like the nose, any proof heat on the palate is hidden. A little bit of chewing evokes raw peanut and toffee in the form of peanut brittle. There’s also the note of a chalky pink bubblegum stick, like from the old Topps baseball cards. Finally, the proof heat peaks its head out for just a second with a nip of black pepper. The finish is medium-short, at best. And while it’s pleasant with more toffee and a touch of sweet corn, I expected it to have a bit more proof pop and length.