Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Rye Nose: Not betraying any higher alcohols, just orange cream soda, bright and carbonic, with crispy vanilla and a velvet citrusy overtone. Taste: chewy rye cereal and cream soda with navel orange, reminiscent of Cointreau, and then some of the more polite expressions of fennel and coriander come to play. Finish: soft and gentle tingle that so neatly and quietly ties the sweet cream, orange, and aromatics together with finesse. What really sets this apart--and adds to it's surprisingly delicate nature--is the distinct aftertaste of floral dandelion and violets! So smooth for the proof, this is a dangerous treat and an interestingly fruity and floral expression of rye with much less heat and astringency than expected. 4.5/5