Anyone reading my reviews knows I'm not the biggest rye whiskey fan, and while I love the guys at Balcones (love me some single malt and True Blue!), this one falls flat for me. Some of the Canadian ryes sit well with me because they manage their casks in a way that balances out the spiciness of the rye grains, but here in the ol' US of A, it seems like distillers of ryes tend to lean into the spiciness, and I really can't blame them, because it holds up better in cocktails and over ice. Still, as something to drink neat, this one's not for me. The nose is powerful, just like all Balcones expressions that aged in the brutal Texas heat, and the 50% alcohol contributes as well. On the nose, once you work past the rye spice, you get some dark chocolate and coffee notes, which are altogether pleasant. In a previous review of this whiskey, I ate dark chocolate while I drank it, and it was a fine pairing! A revisit though fell short for me, and I found myself struggling to finish, even with the addition of a little water. The palate is strong, and the spice is a bit too overwhelming for my taste. You continue to get some of those chocolate notes, and the finish lingers with you. I used the rest of this bottle to make Old Fashioned cocktails (which was most excellent) rather than drink it neat, but since that's how I like to review things, that's where we stand right now.