Nose:   Wood-varnish burn. Spicy malt, on the peppery side. Cherry coke shows up eventually. Palate:  Lots of wood, following the varnish indicated by the nose.  Tastes like something from a small, new-oak barrel that was aged quickly. More spice, but tending towards cinnamon versus pepper.  A hint of vanilla and brown sugar which builds as you drink a glass.  Medium mouth-feel. Finish:  Fairly quick.  Spice fades to a slight tartness.  The sweetness converts almost entirely to a woody taste. Overall:  Bit of a disappointment because I generally like Catoctin Creek's work, but innovation doesn't work every time.  Scotch fans won't find much they recognize in this whiskey, though it does remind me of some other young American malts.  I give the distillery points for trying something different, but I think their Roundstone Rye Distiller's Edition is a much better whiskey for less money, even if the comparison involves different grains. I struggled with how many stars to give this because it does mellow and improve after the bottle has been open for a few days, but I can't get past the wood varnish taste.