Nose - (w/o water) Hints of dark cocoa, cinnamon, cloves, oaky, little hints of cherries & vanilla, latte foam. (w/ water) less bitter oak, adds more vanilla latte foam. Taste - (w/o water) Pleasant light herbal oaky butterscotch, lightly fruity bitter apple/cherry stems, dark chocolate bittersweet, hint of coke concentrate. (w/ water) more pronounced anise and butterscotch, more vanilla & cinnamon, fresh strawberries, rainier cherries, wisp of fresh green herbs & sweet mint. Finish - (w/o water) Lingering dry oaky heat, hint of dark chocolate bitterness, coke concentrate, transitions to a light dry mint effervescent feeling (w/ water) Lingering strawberry/Rainier cherry sweet, hint of sweet mint, less oak, more fruity vanilla but still dry. Score - 90/100 Final Thoughts - I guess I really wanted to love this...a lot...mainly due to how much I paid for the bottle and my expectations after trying a single barrel select. It was tasty, but not as "complex" or interesting as I hoped it would be. It's a very tasty rye and has no off-putting notes and is amazingly easy on the nose and palate for the proof. It has handled the 14 years of aging quite well and a bit of water really does open it up to reveal more fruity characters. This is quite tasty but I think it's quite overhyped and overpriced. I obviously wouldn't turn down a dram of this if offered, but I think I'd much rather have their 10 year single barrel selects as I think those have a lot more flavor and punch for the value. I think this would be best served neat with a glass and dropper of water on the side to dilute as needed. A tiny bit of water greatly softens up the oak from the 14 years and makes it a bit more fruity and enjoyable.