My first sniff immediately makes me think, “what the heck is this?”. It’s this dark, dusty, and kind of earthy, funky, and fungal smell of dark honey, overripe apples, chocolate tootsie rolls, vanilla, cinnamon, dried mushrooms, and old wood. It’s not oaky in the traditional burnt sense, but instead provides this omnipresent darkness that coalesces with the Calvados. The Calvados blasts through in the apple and funk, reinforcing that this was finished long enough for the Calvados to unpack and make itself at home. It also brings this light mintiness that I’ve smelled in apple brandy but doesn’t exist in wheated bourbon. Untitled No. 9 is like sherry-aged Scotch in how dark it is with ripe and dried fruits, just with apples instead of grapes. The peat-like vegetal, fungal, and earthy scents are the most surprising, but without the ash or mesquite. The alcohol is also quite demure for 121 proof.

Swirling emits more of the same, and I’m still confused. The Calvados finish, apart from the baked ripe apple and cherry, still has that peaty, earthy, fungal, dried ginseng, and smoky vibe. There’s a ton of super ripe dark fruit flying everywhere with dark chocolate and funky buttercream (I’ve learned that buttercream actually smells a little off, almost spoiled). Maple syrup also appears after the whiskey starts to dry on the sides of the glass, ending with a little mint. No. 9 also has a spoonful of this savory, chocolatey, and salty scent like pu’er tea and soy sauce. Believe me, I feel just as crazy writing it as you feel reading this. At this point, Antoinette isn’t bourbon anymore – it has morphed into a scotch-bourbon-calvados hybrid that doesn’t want to be categorized.

I’m completely caught off guard by One Eight’s Untitled No. 9 Antoinette; it’s the most unique and out-there bourbon I’ve ever smelled. It’s a wacky yet rich and layered nose that’s kind of mesmerizing, and I’m struggling to do it justice.