From Ross and Squibb (MGP), straight rye whiskey from 82 barrels, aged 7 years, bottled at 117.2 barrel proof (58.6 ABV) in 2022. Tasted neat. Color is a nice deep rosie brown with strong coating legs in the glass. Nose is light cereal and grassy with some vanilla oak. In the mouth, rush of rye grain and spice and syrup sweetness. Then the ethanol rush hits--not unpleasant but there. That brings up a kind of acerbic tannic oak and leather flavor, dry and rather thin-feeling in the mouth. In the finish that tannic oak note mixes with rye spice and a fairly long sweet grassy exit. An ice cube really opens and rounds out this flavor profile, highlighting the sweeter grassier side of the rye. Makes for much easier sipping. And I just mixed this in a Whiskey Smash (mint, lemon, sugar, ice) and it really shines (although $$$ for a mixing rye). It's nice to see MGP as Ross and Squibb putting out and marketing their own product. We know they make great whiskies, so they should showcase the best of what they make in their own brands (Rossville and Remus), right?! But... I'm not sure they are... yet. But I'm ready to follow along and find out.