Tasting Tuesday: Apple Wood, Toasted Oak and a Surprise Standout

I’m knee-deep in what may be the most ambitious bourbon (and rye) project I’ve ever attempted—re-tasting and re-rating every bottle on my shelf to prepare for next year’s 64-bottle March Madness showdown. It’s a bigger undertaking than I imagined, but it’s been worth the effort. As of tonight, 57 bottles have been evaluated, with three more joining the mix. I tasted them in order of proof, working from mildest to mightiest.

Below are my impressions along with a few background notes on each whiskey.

Company Distilling Straight Tennessee Whiskey (Apple-Wood Finished) — 86 Proof

Score: 72.04

Company Distilling is the newer brainchild of former Jack Daniel’s master distiller Jeff Arnett, who left the Lynchburg giant in 2020 to build a more creative, craft-minded project. One of their signatures is finishing their Tennessee whiskey with toasted apple wood, a nod both to innovation and to the apple orchards that once dotted the region.

This bottle is the lightest of the night, and the 86 proof shows immediately in its pale honey-gold color. The nose is spice-forward with soft accents of tree fruit, caramel and vanilla. What surprises is the mouthfeel—considerably thicker than the proof suggests. Flavors of brown sugar, caramel apples and cinnamon come through sweet, rich and uncomplicated. The finish doesn’t linger long, but the cinnamon hangs on the longest.
A pleasant, easy sipper with more body than expected.

Daviess County Limited Edition Medium Toasted Bourbon — 96 Proof

Score: 74.32

The Daviess County line comes from Lux Row Distillers, a revival of a historic Kentucky name dating back to the 1870s. Their limited releases often explore different finishing styles, and this medium-toasted expression leans fully into that oak-driven character.

The color moves up to a respectable mid-amber, and the toasted finishing is obvious from the first sniff—warm, toasty oak takes the lead. On the palate, oak is again the opening act, followed by notes of cherry, baking spice and vanilla. A silky mouthfeel carries everything along smoothly. The finish is on the shorter side, with the cherry turning slightly sour as it fades.
Solid craftsmanship with a toasty profile front and center.

Noah’s Mill Small Batch Bourbon — 114 Proof

Score: 81.81

Noah’s Mill is part of the Willett family of whiskeys, a small-batch line that has historically fluctuated in age statements and blending components. Once known as an ultra-aged bourbon, today it tends to hover around 4–6 years, but Willett’s blending still gives it surprising depth—and in my case, a bottle I barely remember buying has become one I reach for regularly.

At 114 proof, this is the heavyweight of the trio, and it shows up with authority. Dusty oak leads the nose, backed by peanuts and caramel. The creamy viscosity is instantly noticeable. The palate delivers maple sugar, cinnamon, caramel and toasted oak, and the sweetness builds as you sip. Despite the high proof, the heat is remarkably well-managed, and it closes with brown sugar and cinnamon on a long, warming finish.
A standout pour—rich, sweet, and deceptively smooth for the proof.

Final Notes

All three bottles are easy to enjoy and would make fine companions on just about any evening. The real differences come down to proof preference and flavor profile—apple-wood sweetness, toasted oak depth, or high-proof dessert-like richness.

But tonight, the quiet hero was that barely remembered bottle of Noah’s Mill, which now stands comfortably inside my top 30. It will be fun to see how it holds up when the bracket begins to take shape and the full field of 64 steps onto the March Madness tasting court.

Another 3 down, dozens more to go.