Edit: after some rye exposure and a solid heads-up from @OldeBull I’ve determined I need to revisit this whiskey. Better review around the corner. It’s December 17, and I’m going to try a new rye whiskey every day this month. And while my rye game is not as weak as my Scotch game was this time last year, I’m always up for suggestions on good rye whiskies. And now that I have goals (it’s good to have goals), there are some key players I could use your help finding. Send me your most intense contender. Goals (abridged): 5 ryes. 4.5 stars. Readily available. (3/5, WT101, Whistlepig 10, Whistlepig 12) I want to recognize the difference between any bourbon and any rye. First try. One of these must be an Empire Rye. I want a nasty rye. I want the one that tastes like getting a group text from your boss an hour before quitting time on Friday that states that you would be doing a task for the other people in the group text (a task that really was your boss’s responsibility and should’ve been done like a month ago) by the end of the day and you stay after by a few hours hammering it out at breakneck speed after an already exhausting week and you do an outstanding job and when the dust settles the other people in the group text thank your boss for the speedy response. >>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<< Years ago, Wild Turkey was one of my first distillery tours. I didn’t know this would happen at the time, but the tour guide (who crushed it) has lodged herself in my memory as the most charismatic and entertaining tour guide I’ve ever encountered, even after having a dozen or so more under my belt. Unfortunately, I can’t remember her name to brag about to the Russells, because at the time, I had no idea how memorable she would end up being. What I do remember is that (in true southern fashion) she went by two names, a double syllable one followed by a single syllable one. So I’m releasing this today. Tammy Lynn, Wilma Sue, Edna Jo or whatever the hell your name was, thanks. And I’m sorry I couldn’t brag on you in a way that matters. Nose is sugar-encrusted walnuts. Maple. Dark chocolate. On ice, I get frosting, vanilla, and tea leaves. Body is more sugared walnuts. Sweet tea. On ice, not much changes, but the nuttiness is accentuated. This may be the nuttiest dram I can remember. Finish is praline. Caramel. Low heat. On ice, the body flavors are more prominent, especially the tea. Shockingly gentle given the ABV. This is decent, but not my cup of tea. In fact, I don’t like tea, which is part of the problem. What I really don’t like about this whiskey is that (like 101) it completely dissolves any functional boundary I had been working on to help me classify bourbon and rye. How the hell this isn’t a bourbon (based on notes) is beyond me.