Nose: Light creamy orchard fruit. Floral rye spices, aromatic bitters, brown sugar and a little vanilla appears as it opens. I don’t get smokiness, I think any suggestion of that is coming from rye spices. Palate: Soft, slightly caramel arrival that turns just a little spicy as it develops with caraway and fennel seed appearing next to some brown sugar. Sweet, comforting and very easy to quaff – it’s like a liquid banana split. The texture is OK but not remarkable. Finish: Medium. The brighter rye spices emerge right at the end – anise, menthol, peppermint – along with a lingering aftertaste of orange zest. No bitterness at all. Neither boisterous nor banal, this is an honest, everyday American whiskey (bourbon + malt) with a pinch more rye than average. The malt content is not obvious except in the mouthfeel and some background notes. It’s not a premium whiskey but you have to judge it against the price point and by that reckoning it’s good value. I'm rating it as just above average, it occupies the sort of ground that something like Dewars 12 year old would in the blended scotch arena so I'm rating it the same. This has just appeared in our market and I’m glad it has. It could well become my new go-to light whiskey for summer session drinking and mixing. I’d particularly recommend this to bourbon novices and scotch drinkers who are not generally partial to bourbon. Oh, and as for the little tin cup on the top, some people find it naff but I kind of like it. It’s also worth noting that the bottom of the screw thread marks a precise 1 oz pour … just saying 🙂 “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)