Distilled in CA, IN, and KY, a blend or 95% rye 5% malted barley, aged in oak at least 4 years in northern CA, bottled at 45% ABV. Tasting neat. Golden brown straw and average coating legs in the glass. Nose is fruity sweet, touch of oak, herbal with some grassy rye spice in the back. On the palate, brown sugar sweet, vanilla oak, tannic oak, leather, flash of ethanol, and white pepper. Mouthfeel is thin and sugary. Finish turns more to rye spice and sweet grass, then mint, citrus, as well as cherry fruit. Fairly long, but herbal rather than rich. An ice cube tames the ethanol and oak which weren't that strong to begin with. Tasted the cask strength Emerald Giant 2025 57.7 ABV side by side with this 45% ABV and the difference is stark. Much deeper flavors and herbal intensity in the cask strength, much more oily mouthfeel, and a real anise/fennel quality that I didn't noticed before. The Emerald Giant 45% ABV is fine, maybe better for mixing than sipping, but doesn't really stand out, even at $37. It's good, don't get me wrong, but the thin sweet mouthfeel drags it down for sipping.