If memory serves me right, this was the second sipper rye I ever purchased. It’s been too long since I’ve had one of these—my last bottle before this predates my review-writing days. It’s a foundational whiskey in my journey and one that got me into the rye genre—it’s about time I get around to a formal review. Nose: Vanilla and pistachio. Rye spice. Brown sugar. Toasted almond. Plenty of clove, nutmeg and black pepper. Leather. A touch of lemon citrus. Cotton candy and bubblegum. Irish soda bread. Palate: More of rather vanilla and pistachio. Dill. Black licorice. Big time Cinnamon Apple Jack’s note. Irish soda bread. Caramel. Cacao, pecan, almond, walnut. More of the black pepper and lemon citrus. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Gala Apple, vanilla, and caramel. Black pepper and some cocoa. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Pistachio. Dill. Plenty of oak. Lemon citrus. Irish soda bread. Moderate length. This is as good as I remember. It’s a great introductory rye but can keep an experienced sipper entertained. It’s a fairly standard rye profile, beautifully executed. Personally, this edges out the bourbon for my favorite entry-level Michter’s expression—which is an excellent core range. As far as value goes, this hits the mark. At $48, this is well worth the price of admission. It’s a very modest increase from a paid almost a decade ago, almost $1/yr exactly, which is very meaningful when you’re talking value. I’ve got this at a 3.75 boosted to 4/5 with consideration to VFM. Great stuff.