Tarnished brass in color. Only a few slow-forming legs. Quite sticky indeed. Nose is a shock: herbal, fruity and floral... Bordering on perfumey... notes of sage, white grapes, danjou pear, jasmine and spring spruce tips. The barrel sneaks in a bit, but it's background noise until it reappears on the finish... It's a bit oily in texture and nudges the edge of cloying at first. There's a bit of an analgesic quality and I can't tell if it's mint and clove or just the ethanol. This is balanced, in part, by the tart apple, clove, licorice, and floral explosion. The finish is where the barrel finally has a chance to shine. Buttered toast, fresh cut green saplings and a hint of coconut push through the lingering "perfume". It's definitely a wild ride up to the edges of what I've come to expect out of an American rye. It's interesting and an excellent quality product for sure... It's just not my favorite.