My rating?  4.5 stars out of 5.

It is excellent at a slightly elevated, Virginia summer room temperature.  An incredibly velvety smooth berry and grape texture, followed by just the hint of a pointed tart and a molasses laced finish note and a subtle enough smoky bouquet that you can ignore it if you like.  After all, the smoked barrel lost its edge about 20 years ago.  (-0.2 stars).

The major down side?  Nothing amazing (-0.3 stars), but it’s perfect for this night.

Cecily says it goes well with Fudge Stripe cookies.