The nose on this is both herbal and meaty, hay and anise in the background. Palate brings licorice and white pepper. Finish is more of the same and actually lingers in the back of the throat. A splash of water or on ice let's the rye be even more pronounced. With the higher rye content, this is head and shoulders ahead of the standard Heaven Hill rye offerings, but for less or even money, MGP, New Riff, Old Forester, and Bardstown products outshine this. A step in the right direction.