Nose: Understated bourbon sweetness and small rye, there is little to note here. Front: dark red fruit, pie spice, nuts, light woods, dank sugars. There is an incredible amount of balance here for an MGP refinished whiskey, and while the high rye is noticeable, it refrains from stepping all over the contributing notes. Finish: smooth and burn free, small traces of spice and sugar. As I've always been skeptical of the outsourced and rebranded process so common in todays practice of over hyped and under performing liquors, I'm completely impressed that an MGP sourced base product can work so well, clearly the "tad" of Stranahans blended in along with the mountain water are a well thought out and perfected formula. The well balanced notes working in unison are a totally pleasant surprise from this bottle that gets perhaps a bit too much attention from flamboyant packaging. While there is a notable lack of any real barrel wood finish there is still plenty here to like, and for a true high rye to handle this well in flavorings and keep the rye spices in check is an actual accomplishment. This tasty 84 proof offering stands up, stands out and makes a nice impression, a worthy addition to any home bar.