Here are my notes from the tasting. They are not as extensive as Mike's. It was interesting to taste blind and comparatively. As I mentioned at the time, when tasting several whiskies at once I think the one that is most different, so long as it's not vile, may tend to taste the best.
It should also be noted that one flaw in the competition, which WHISKY recognizes, is that to even be considered a whiskey has to have been reviewed by the magazine in the last two years, and such reviews tend to be limited to new products so, for example, Maker's Mark and many other standard expression were not even eligible.
What follows is directly from my notes. No editing. Let the chips fall where they may. (In other words, I can't believe I liked Old Potrero so much. See "difference" theory above.)
Anyway, from flight 4, bourbons under 10 years old:
Knob Creek: immature, grainy, cut hay and nougut.
Woodford Reserve: spicy, grassy, citrus and wood, with a hot finish.
Ridgemont 1792: banana and smoke, with a hot finish.
Blanton's: vanilla, almost toothpaste minty.
Four Roses SB: perfumy, spicy, spearmint. Lingering finish. Reminded me of butter creame candy, melts in your mouth.
Evan Williams SG: must, wet wood, licorice.
Old Potrero: vanilla, caramel, anise, mint, pipe tobacco in the finish. Very nice, loads of flavor.
Flight 5, bourbons over 10 years old:
Russell's Reserve: vanilla
Elijah Craig 12: mint
Pappy 15/107: light, teasing nose, maple syrup and cola on the tongue, smoke and caramel in the finish. Very rich, WOW, maybe too aggressive.
Stagg: hot, spicy.
ER 17: (no notes)
Elijah Craig 18: banana, allspice, ginger.
Sazerac Rye 18: dark chocolate, anise, spice. Clean finish. Very rich.
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye: old leather, smoked meat, grapefruit. Very long finish. Very rich.