Right before the pandemic, February 29th, 2020, local FW&GS stores had a one-day flash sale. Knob Creek 9 Year was $19.99 for 750 mL; Maker's 46 was $29.99 and Dad's Hat PA Straight Rye was $35.99. You probably understand what a deal those first two were, but have little sense that the Dad's Hat is usually $54.99, so that was $20 off, which was really the only way I was going to try an unknown quantity of unknown quality that usually goes for +50. And the first sips of Dad's Hat Straight Rye were rough. I like rye but up until then my experience was Rittenhouse and Overholt. Dad's Hat is among the rye-ist ryes I've ever had in that it tastes a lot like a deli sandwich with a punch of rye and dill hitting you hard with a vanilla sweetness and cinnamon tang buried underneath. For this reason, Dad's Hat is going to be divisive. I liked it a lot by the middle of the bottle, and by the end, I meant to try more Dad's Hat products, but never got around to it. I discovered Sagamore, and as far as small rye distiller's go, they grabbed my heart with their tequila-finished rye. From there I rushed out to pick up another bottle of that as well as a single barrel cask strength and the 8 year. Now Dad's Hat isn't too far from me and I also keep meaning to visit the Distillery, but it's just far enough that I have also never gotten around to it. But I follow them on social media, and they posted a picture of their Cask Strength product a few weeks ago nothing that it was only available at their Distillery or at a certain shop in the Reading Terminal Market off Jefferson Station in Philly. Given that Reading Terminal Market is easier to get to than Bristol for me, I figured this was the solution to the fact that I coveted the Cask Strength, and on a recent trip to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, I took the opportunity to pop into the market and nab this, and it's a real treat. Though like I've said, it's divisive. What this most reminds me of is Alberta Premium Cask Strength, so if you've had that, you can get a sense of the flavor profile here. From my review of that, you also know that when the proof gets this high, I like to drop an ice cube in it as opposed to knocking it back straight. In fact, that's my preference for anything once the proof passes 120. I always try it straight first to get a sense of what the product is like in its uncut state, then I usually finish the rest of the bottle with cubes. Building upon the standard product (or at least my memory of it), this is strong with the rye spice and dill, the caramel and vanilla creaminess undergirding it, a cinnamon punch coming in at the finish. The mouthfeel is what makes it a treat. It's extremely creamy, so combing with those tastes, it's like a melted down candy of an alcoholic variety. Now this isn't for the faint of heart. I see one review here already where the guy couldn't stand it, and that's actually understandable, as I don't think this is going to be up everyone's alley. It's the anchovy pizza of rye whisky, but if you have a taste for really rye profiles, this is a treat. And if you find yourself at Reading Terminal, it's worth the $70 your gonna drop on it if this sounds good to you.