As a rye, you are AWARE of the spice…. For sure, its there, but let us break down the complexity within this straight rye. Nose to taste, it presents an array of flavor that exhibits a bright forward profile while the spice somehow mulls it to a mellow complexity. What I like is that it brings a corn sorta sweetness in the middle. Right in between is a note similar to apple and other citruses will nestle between that corn whiskey transfer. To end, the spice overtakes as it should given it’s a straight rye. That’s to be expected. Anyway, it was a good treat and I enjoy ryes. Not an Ezra 7 year, but a more than average rye whiskey.