The neck pour had serious spice. Like cayenne pepper on the finish kind of spice. A little air balances it—the spice is still there, and strong, but the brown sugar/vanilla notes of good bourbon become more prominent. If “smooth” is your jam it’s not likely to be in your wheelhouse, but I’m a rye fan, so this is really appealing for me. I’ve enjoyed Barrell finished ryes (Dovetail, Seagrass) before, but this will get me looking for their bourbon batches too.