So, the knock on this is that it smells and tastes like banana Runts candy. Legit critique or JD hate? Let us find out... On the nose, yes...it's there. Banana Runts. But it's not all that's there. Black cherry, spice cake, maple, and barrel char. So yeah not traditional for a rye, but inviting nonetheless. Palate hits you with (yes) banana, caramel and peanut before switching to a spice bloom of cinnamon and black pepper. Spice carries in the finish for a long time, and with a decent Kentuck...errr...Tennessee hug. There's a "musty peanut" (is that a thing?) note way back there at the end of the finish that is funky and enjoyably unique. Drinks a little hotter than it's proof would indicate. Mouthfeel is medium. Truth? This is closer to "JD made an awesome bourbon" than "JD made an awesome rye", but as you can guess by that comment I liked this a lot. Definitely the best product I ever had from Jack Daniel's by a large margin, and I bet most would have a hard time guessing it was from JD in a blind testing. Side note: I like the way JD does the pricing on their 375ml bottles, which is only a buck or two higher than half of a 750ml. So, would I buy this again at $25 for a 375ml? Yes...yes I would.