I think the liquor store put this as an employee favorite to get it off the shelf. This whiskey is made with cheap ingredients. I like that thay are going for a lightly toasted barrel. Hopefully the whiskey is not aged in LA. If so, that would explain the taste. I think some heavy filtering and more ageing with lightly toasted oak just might help. In 10 years I'll taste again. I got a very nice $50 bottle. I don't need another.