Tastes

Upon first impression, this is a winner, especially if you like caramelized or brown sugar notes. My bottle did not seem too hot or ethanol forward, and adding a little water made it even smoother. I prefer this rye over any bourbon I've had in the JD line-up (including the JD 12!), and I know it will only improve as the barrel proof bourbon opened up and improved over time.

(sample) From a value standpoint, you could get a bottle for half this price that is as good or better. On taste alone, it succeeds with a lovely faint rum note, but I would only recommend if you like tannic and dry bourbons. Someone swore they could taste Dickel, but that's the power of suggestion imo. No Kentucky bourbon is in this bottle.

First impression: marshmallow, vanilla, light fruit, and a little sea salt on the finish. Tasty.

Talisker, but with beautiful tropical fruit notes and meant to drink while swimming with dolphins.

Definitely an improvement over the standard Buffalo Trace recipe, the flavors are not as spicier as much as they are just purer. Call it the power of suggestion but the kosher recipe tastes like honey right off the farm. The value is off the charts too at msrp..

Did someone put a live pine tree in my tasty rye whiskey? It needs to open a little, but this might be a perfect, albeit pricey, Christmas whiskey for someone who pines for a Colorado winter.