Sweet vanilla and on the nose. Burst of corn syrup sweetness, and then astringent dry oak takes over. Citrus peel bitters and tannins. Thin mouthfeel, and light straw color. Rye pepper and spice comes on and then dry tannic vanilla oak in a long finish. Gets a little acrid at the very tail. Second pass at this. Neat taste about the same, maybe noticing a honeysuckle sweetness buried in there. Then Ice, which softens the tannic finish a little, letting the honeysuckle and rye spice and bitter citrus catch up, but not enough. Finish turns more sour. As the ice melts and lowers the ABV this becomes an easy drink. I expect this will make a good cocktail bourbon--my next test. A little underwhelmed. I know MGP bourbons pretty well and appreciate them in other people's bottles, so I was expecting more from the juice they're putting out under their own label. I have had their Remus Repeal Reserve Series V, and it is great. This... not so much. Will keep chewing on this.