Rating: 12/23 N: This may be high ABV, but I do smell more alcohol than I'd expected. I get some herbal rye dryness and spiciness, unexpectedly. There are also hints of port. What is going on here? It's funky and not as full and rich and decadent as I'd expected. P: Oh, yeah, I'm getting those rye flavors. It's funky and weird. I get lots of dill. It's not that sweet and I'm not getting a big bourbon influence, though there is vanilla and a hint of caramel. I do gradually get some maltiness. It burns, but that is to be expected at this proof. There's some odd hint of jalapeño. Also, I get some bitter woodiness. This isn't that complex, or mature or decadent. I'm kind of surprised. I definitely expected more from a 7 year old american single malt. Honestly, I'm getting grain scotch vibes here. F: Dry, tart, a bit harsh, grain scotch, faint oil. This isn't decadent and it's definitely challenging. I do get a bit of grain and malt, but not a lot. Possibly some very faint vanilla. Very faint on the long finish, I get some tropical notes. - Conclusion - I'm pretty disappointed in this. I definitely don't get a lot of bourbon cask influence, but I really don't get much in the way of malt flavor either. This actually reminds me the most of Kings County products. This is challenging and tastes much younger than it is - and that isn't just because of the proof. There unfortunately isn't a ton to like here. I do enjoy a bit of the interesting flavors, but at this proof and age, this alcohol should be mellower and the overall profile should be richer and fuller. I'm very disappointed considering the price. Why produce and sell whiskey that is so old yet tastes so young? I think that the core spirit here is actually quite harsh. Even watering it down, it burns quite a bit. Still, I'd say that this beats The Sexton. The Sexton smells and tastes like gasoline in comparison. It's a big gap. Stranahan's Blue Peak (15/23) is fuller, sweeter, and more hedonistic than this. The Stranahan's is maltier and richer, but it's more muddled and less interesting. Still, it actually manages to taste more mature and it's definitely more approachable. Is this really a single malt? I mean, I believe it because it says it on the bottle, but it really doesn't taste like it. Is there really no rye in here? Really? Wow, Dad's Hat cask strength (19/23) is just obviously far better than this. It's richer, more decadent, and less harsh. That said, it's still quite bitter, though why should a malt be as bitter as a rye? That really just raises more questions about this. The Dad's Hat has a lot of herbal flavors that are interesting, decadent, and missing here. This is definitely less rich. Let's score this though. This is certainly at least a 10, but it's not a 15. I'm thinking that this is closer to a 10 than to a 15. A 10 is likely a tad harsh, but I'm not super confident in that statement. I'm thinking that it's an 11 or 12. I think I'm going to land on a 12. I could believe a 13, but this is seriously challenging. Eh, the possibility of a 13 seems higher and higher. I'm appreciating this more, but it really does require a scorched palate. Tough for sure.