Complex, almost challenging
Dry boxed for 3-4 weeks at 62% RH. First third has a mild earth base, woodsy and bready body, with spice and citrus top notes, with hints of vegetal and barnyard notes on retro.
Second third is where this stick really takes off. Woodsy profile (predominantly hickory), rye bread, pecan (almost specifically dusty pecan still in the shells), baking spice, and citrus picks up along with the vegetal. retro has mildly sweet cedar but still hints of barnyard and vegetal notes, with some leather and pepper. It *almost* reminds me of some oud fragrances in the woodsy/earthy segment, not animalic or too challenging.
Final third carries the profile but ramps it up on the hickory, pecan shell, and citrus/vegetal notes strike the back of the throat on the finish. Retro was much like the second except stronger. I put it down half way into the final third instead of nubbing it.
I think there might be some great synergy pairing this with Redbreast 12 (melding together to make a toasted cinnamon shortbread cookie), a jammy Speyside like Glenlivet 14 or Aberlour abunadh (cereal, apricot, dry fruit sweetness to balance), or even an Armagnac like Marie Duffau Napoleon (vanilla and wine grape/raisin sweetness, oak to round out the hickory, mild musty cellar to play to the barnyard and hickory/pecan in a savory way)
Overall medium body/strength. It’s a new twist on the core line, not just a bigger size, imo. I didn’t get much sweetness and no fruit. I can appreciate it for it’s complexity, though I am happy with just the 5pk. I’d like to try this at 65% RH to see if I get more sweetness. And definitely more time to see if the vegetal note and barnyard settle down.
