Rockfish Corn Whiskey I subscribe to the Whiskey Wash Newsletter, and when they sent out their most recent edition touting Rockfish as Best in Show at the Heartland Whiskey Competition, I thought to myself, "Hey, I know that whiskey". In fact I've seen it on the shelf for a few months, but with the exception of a select few (Rúa, I'm looking at you) I avoid aged NC craft whiskey (Especially when they are missing the Straight designation). When nothing else at the local ABC tickled my fancy this week, I saw this one and was surprised by its relatively modest (for craft) mid-$20's price tag. I decided to give it a shot. *NOSE: Surprisingly good. It alternates between Deep Caramel, Vanilla, Creme Soda, and Butterscotch. There is a hint of Black Pepper in the background and a bit of Alcohol Sting. *NEAT: (Happy)Enters not overly complex, but good and sweet. Caramel Corn, Butterscotch, and Circus Peanuts. (Sad)A virtually non-existent mid-palate rapidly fades into a Quick Finish with a disappointingly thin mouthfeel and little to no coating aftertaste. Maybe just a hint of Circus Peanut hangs around? I can't help but wonder what a few extra proof points would do here. *SPLASH: There is very little (if any) change to the palate notes, but the good news is a Few Drops of Water releases some oils to improve the Mid-palate and mouthfeel. It gains a Rich, Coating Oiliness allowing the sweetness to segue to the mid-palate and finish. The key is just a few drops. VERDICT: Positives- Supporting a Small Distillery, Excellent Nose, Great Sweetness on the Palate. Negatives- Low Proof, Thin Mouthfeel, and Disappearing Finish. I'm not the biggest fan of Corn Whiskey, but this is one I can see buying again. This may be the best of the genre I've had after adding a little water. I hope this one continues to get better as their stocks gain a little age.