The first thing to say about this bottle: I am in love. While I have been turning more and more to rye whiskey lately as my obsession of choice, the Willett 4-Year Barrel Proof Rye is the missing link between a proper bourbon and a perfect rye. Of course, every palate has its own preferences. Immediately apparent in this rye, both in the nose and taste, is the artful balance of sweet and spice, honey and heat... it’s a tug of war on the tongue that swings to sweet, but pulls back to bite in the finish. Nose: The sweetness hits early with dark fruit and vanilla, then quickly turns to spice, clove and cinnamon at the forefront. All these aromatics blend ever more beautifully the longer you let it sit. And while you wait, just gaze into that glowing golden goodness just beckoning you to give in and drink it already. Taste: What the nose hints, the taste hits. There’s that wave of cinnamon and clove, enveloped in vanilla, and filled out with faint traces of wood grain, not nutty or toasted, but more earthy, almost like a fresh mint. What lingers on the finish is that same spice that welcomed you in your initial waft. Overall, I would say I have just found my new favorite dram. Wish I had bought two.