I'm not a huge fan of drinking rye whiskies neat but I do love them in cocktails so I figured I would try this one to see if it can surpass my go to rye (Rittenhouse). The nose was pretty surprising with mint, oak and a fruity note that I couldnt put my finger on. On the palate it has a touch of sweetness but a ton of traditional rye bread and a kick of spice. The finish isn't terribly long but features the oak and pepper. At 95% rye, you definitely get that spice kick. Do I like it better than Rittenhouse, not really but it's close and maybe equal to it neat. I still prefer the higher proof Rittenhouse in cocktails though (plus it's much cheaper than this), so I'm going to go with a 3.5 but still a solid dram and definitely one to consider if you like your everyday dram to be a rye whiskey.