I really hate to be a contrarian here. I know Rittenhouse is considered a staple rye whiskey for mixing, but I think a mixer is basically as much as it can aspire to. The nose is fine, if a bit weak. The opening on the palate is pleasant and starts off with a surprisingly gentle sweetness, but that dissolves into a finish of sharp ash and cigarettes that I don't enjoy. The finish is markedly long, but considering how much I hate the finish, that is decidedly a negative for me.