Dark honey-gold color, like cough syrup. The nose is almost immediately a fennel/black licorice spice, like a slice of rye bread with carraway seeds. A touch of a mint scratch-n-sniff sticker. Less cinnamon than black pepper and hay. Lots of grain and a big hit of yeast. More black licorice and star anise in the taste. Cinnamon, salt and white pepper. On the palate, the spices dance as if it were carbonated. Carraway seeds and pumpernickel bread. Finishes with prickly cinnamon and rye spice. Black pepper and tobacco ash. There is an herbal quality that really helps being the whole thing together. This is a terrific, nicely-priced straight rye whiskey. The fennel and black licorice are just dominant in this rye. It's very bitter and prickly, but it's exactly the kind of rye that can stand up to a Kentucky Mule or mellow out in a rocks glass.