Tastes

Slightly fruity up front and some punch on the finish. Not wild but a good sip, particularly with some beer.

I rated this as a 3 on its own, but I haven't found better a Irish Coffee whiskey for the money, so I'll always have some on hand.

Smooth AF, not too complex but neither is the lingering finish too astringent.

The description's tasting notes are bang on. Maple syrup, oak, and caramelly-vanilla-orange followed by nutty flavours followed by heat, with 'sugar and spice' on a long lingering finish. Bourbons don't always catch my fancy and I don't like too much sweetness, but will be coming back to this. Great shit at a helluva proof.

With a tiny drop of water, the start is a lot sweeter. The middle, not-that-complex, mild peppery bits still give way too quickly to the sharp finish. Thinking maybe it's more the rye characteristic?