So I "won" the right to buy this one...I shoulda selected better bottles. We'll get to the review but I'm still shocked at myself for spending 150 bucks on an 8 year old whisky. Nose - A lot of typical rye notes. I do get a bubble gum note at first. I'm getting spice, charred oak (deep char), some cinnamon, some vanilla. After a bit i'm getting a baked apple pie with some dusty wood. With each nosing I get a different version of this, always rye forward, always with a lot of oak, but the sweetness levels and the fruits just keep changing. A drop of water brings out vanilla cream, actually really nice, but it kills some of the spice and oak. I think I like the water better here. Taste - I had the parker's bourbon just the other day and I was surprised that it reminded me so much of their rye. Today, I'm not getting those same associations, but I fully believe there is an element to the brand that seems to come through on the spirits. It's a brand sadly due to price and availability that I am unlikely to get to explore in depth anytime soon. This is sweet, fruity, and then it goes into spices, then into rye flavors and then into oak and barrel notes. There are at least 4 distinct transitions in here. This is as sweet as a bourbon. It has as much of that barrel char as a good aged bourbon. It however has that unique rye note and comes full force with rye spices. I don't get dill btw...so that's a huge win. There is a note near the end I can't place it. It's almost chocolate but it isn't and it is almost butter but it isn't. It's somewhere between the two, very enjoyable. Water I'm not sure it does a lot. I think it brings out a bit more sweetness up front and the finish is taking on a bit more chocolate vs that butter. Overall the whole mid game of spice and oak and sweet playing into transitions are all pretty similar. OK - this is fantastic whisky. This is an absolute home run, so in my face for turning my nose up at 8 years. I am not a rye guy, this is not my wheel house, and I would not buy again. That said I'm going 4 stars. This is one of if not the best rye I have had, outside of the 23 year kentucky vintage. I would buy again at 100 just as I don't like spending over 100 on rye whisky, though I do to continue to educate myself.