Rating: 18/23 At 69.8% ABV, this will be the highest proof spirit intended for neat drinking that I've ever consumed. I'm curious to see what effect the high proof has. N: Rum. That's my first thought. It has that sort of funky molasses sweetness to it. Maple, brown sugar, banana, vanilla. It doesn't taste thin or super sweet, but I'm getting surprisingly little wood. Maybe that will come out if I give it a couple of minutes to breathe. The air adds a little nuttiness and some background wood that's hard to describe. Or maybe it's hard to smell because the fumes from this ridiculous dram have burned my nose. The nuttiness and woodiness come together to add a sort of mature richness that is also still sweet. I start getting bits of allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The complexity is solid here, but the balance is really nice. With water, more mature woodiness comes out here, along with standard bourbony characters like vanilla and cinnamon. P: It burns, but it's surprisingly easy to sip. I'd probably have guessed over 60% ABV, but I'm not sure if I'd have said it was a hot navy strength rum or a thin overproof rum. It's a really tropical palate. It starts with bananas, then it adds molasses, brown sugar, cinnamon, wood, and some mild char. It's the molasses that really gives it that rum vibe. THere's lots of burn and also some spice in the ginger range with some clove backing. I get hints of citrus (actually kind of like the slightest squeeze of lemon - or maybe lime). It doesn't have this big rich flavor, but it is fairly full and decently because of the high proof. This needs water. Adding it brings out some dry tartness that goes nicely with the wood. There are still banana and molasses flavors, along with some orange and a lime. I might even get a bit of those rum fireworks. I get more vanilla as well though. The spices are still big, with ginger leading the way, followed by clove, and then cinnamon. This is still not as rich as I'd expected and I'm confused by its profile. I like it, but I don't know what to make of it. Compared side by side with Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 and Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve, this has kind of a rummy molasses flavor to it. F: Bitterness in the wood, fireworks, and molasses range, along with tartness like lime. Not a ton happening here, but it feels a bit thin. - Conclusion - Handed this blind, I would have guessed that it was some sort of navy strength or overproof rum. I'm pretty confused by this. I was a big fan at first, but I feel like I noticed more flaws as my tasting progressed. This is still quite an enjoyable dram, but it doesn't strike me as something amazing. My inclination would be to put it in the ballpark of Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 (18) and Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve (19). It's certainly better than Booker's Country Ham (17) and it's close to Old Carter 13 Single Barrel #98). If I had to choose initially, I'd have leaned toward a 19. Now, I'm inclined to put Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve and Old Carter 13 Single Barrel #98 just a little bit above this. Wild Turkey Rare Breed 116.8 also seems like a solid match for this, so I think I'm going to land on an 18. Thank you @pkingmartin for another rare sample!