The underdog mentality simply oozes out of the bottle. For the price this sits on the shelf for, its remarkable that it competes with the likes of Booker’s, Stagg Jr, and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Upon the first nosing, you find blueberry cobbler, Snickerdoodles, and pine needles. After 10 minutes, aromas of figs, corn pudding, and mint chocolate chip ice cream creep in. You can distinguish all the notes with ease. Then on to the palate. Initially, you feel how oily this is. You first pick up those figs, but the mid-palate transitions to charred pie crust and leather. The finish cleans everything up with vanilla butter cream and pine sap. If you’re ever in a bind and need a barrel proof expression, you can always count on Rare Breed. Delicious!