Nose - anise, rye bread, pear, honey, butterscotch, apple, clove, apricot, vanilla, dry herbal notes, orange pith, powdered sugar, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - green apple, pear, honey, ginger, anise, clove, orange oil, sour cherry, bitter herbal notes, rye bread, lemon, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with pear, citrus oil, and bitter herbal flavors. I’ve been looking forward to trying this one for a while now. Reviews have been fairly split, and there’s no shortage of opinions especially with the new 16 Year release making waves. The nose is fruity but also rather dry. There’s a distinct rye bread quality with some pear, apple, bitter citrus, and honey aromas. The palate is punchy with rye spice, sour red fruit, and more bitter citrus. The mouthfeel is above average and the finish is mediocre. Darn! I really wanted to like this more. It’s decent, but strikes me as young, bitter, and hot. The best part is a mouthwatering sourness that draws you back in for another sip, but that next sip inevitably underwhelms. I’m really excited to try the 16 Year version next. Many thanks to both @pkingmartin and @jonwilkinson7309 for providing these generous samples. I tried both while writing the review, and there was no difference between the two.