Rating: 12/23 - Nose - There's a pretty big alcohol burn here. Unfortunately, it isn't that complex of a nose. I do get some worty grain and malty sour cherry though. Actually, those are more substantial than I'd expected. They seem to grow with time. - Palate - Less bite from the alcohol than I'd feared! It's sweet with the same grain and cherry-malt from the nose. It's not super full though. There's a clean and smooth aspect to the alcohol, as if in order to smooth it out, they removed a lot of the good flavors and complexity as well. It's bitter from the alcohol, but it doesn't burn. There's a definite vodka flavor to this whiskey, which I'm not sure is something I've ever said before. Hints of lemon peel and pepper. Nice grain vodka flavor. Unfortunately, the more I drink, the more this tastes like vodka instead of whiskey. - Finish - The malty grain and cherry carry through, though they aren't strong. They gradually fade out. Long on the finish, the alcohol burn comes back and just sits there. - Conclusion - This is a pretty lackluster whiskey. It seems to prioritize smoothness over all else. It doesn't really deliver anything worthwhile. I actually think of Seagram's a bit when drinking this because it has that vibe of a spirit masquerading as whiskey. For a rating, I can't go too low. This isn't bad. But it sure isn't good. I think there's just enough syrupy sweetness to this to save it from ending up in the 20 range. It's more like an 11 to 14. I think a 12 seems appropriate.