Tastes

Too much ethanol on the nose. Very raw and grainy. Some redeeming qualities in the palate, with decent sweet notes, but overall a bit unrefined. Mediocre: not recommended for sipping, much better suited for mixing

Sweet notes from the barrel, vanilla and molasses. Good character, aged to a nice round smoothness. Ends with some fruity notes, maybe a bit of apple. Short finish. 4.25 - Good: a solid pour. Suitable for dipping, would make a quality cocktail

You can definitely note the charcoal filtering in the smoothness. Decent character, but has a touch of youth that could stand to be aged out. Good enough to drink neat, but perhaps a bit better suited for mixing. 4.0 - Good: a solid pour. Suitable for sipping, would make a quality cocktail

Nose hits up front with oranges and a touch of ethanol. Adding a little water brings in some vanilla notes for a nice orange creamsicle and an accent of caramel. The first sip hits up front with a dry, butter citrus that seamlessly blends into the more familiar notes of oak, baking spices, and a subtle sweetness that opens up into creamy vanilla with a little water. The orange Carrie’s through the entire experience, but never overpowers the core of the spirit. The finish is long and lingering, but there is a harshness that brings down the enjoyment a step. This is one that greatly benefits from controlled dilution

Tasted at the distillery Brilliant, but dark in the glass. (Room was pretty dark, no good color description). You can definitely see the age of this one. Nice, long, lingering legs. The nose opens first with butterscotch and apricot. Some honeysuckle notes show up, adding a new layer of complexity. Tobacco and spices hit the palate first, giving that Stranahan’s base, but in a much smoother manner. A touch of bright citrus, and delicate florals, then back to a caramel oaky finish. Tannins settle in, but remain balanced on the quite long finish.

The IPA really shines through on top of that familiar Jameson base

Smooth mellow taste, definitely rye in the mashbill, but not overly spicy