I have been wanting to try a Yellowstone Single Barrel for quite some time, and tried to get my local in touch with my Facebook friend Stephen Beam to try to get a Hokus pick, but no luck so far. However, Hokus Pokus did get in a non-store pick bottle labelled “O’ Beautiful Day.” This is a five year old cask strength bourbon that is believed to be sourced from Barton and then bottled at Limestone Branch in Lebanon, Kentucky. It’s 115 proof.

Color is a nice medium amber, about right for five years old. On the swirl is a beautiful film and legs. On the nose are very traditional bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla, rye spice, and some oak tannin, more than you would expect on a five year old bourbon. On the palate, the vanilla and caramel mingle with dark fruits and candied cherries, which is then complimented with baking spice and oak tannin on the finish. The finish really lingers too – this drinks as a much older bourbon.

Stephen Beam did a great job picking this barrel, and I still hope he will let Hokus Pokus pick one from his stocks.