Michter's US*1 Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Rye (2021 Release)

This is great, spiced pepprry stsrt, sweet finish

Nose opens with…ok wow. Dried fruit (lemon, lime, orange), rye spice, oatmeal, mint, pepper, and green oak. Aroma is complex, punchy, and devoid of ethanol. Enticing. On the palate, this is the epitome of a “sweet and spicy” rye. There’s a lot going on here and I will try to capture as much as possible. Sweetness in the form of poppyseed muffin, dehydrated apple chips, lime, and molasses. Spicy in the form of cinnamon, black pepper, chili pepper, and raw rye grain. Ever had a rye Triscuit? There’s some of that in here. Flavors are rich and robust. Finish turns decidedly spicy and lasts what seems like forever. Herbals make themselves known with peppermint, anise, more chili pepper, oregano, and dill. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sparkly, and dry as bone and while no way a flaw, is the only part of this whiskey that is less than absolutely stellar. Quite possibly the best rye to ever grace my lips. Kind of quintessential; not too herbal, not too sweet, not too spicy (although it might come close on that one) At the $150 I overpaid when I found it in the wild, I can’t say I in any way regret the purchase. Would I buy it again at 33% markup? Probably.