Mint and barrel notes on the nose. Clear whiff of rye grain, although I’ve assumed this is not a high rye mash. Orange-brown in the glass. Oily legs. Menthol, dark chocolate, and oak course throughout the taste. Green apple, barrel char. Generously spiced from both flavor and proof. Not overly sweet but has some toffee notes. The first few sips have a slightly mildewed undertone, as if the charring didn’t entirely cleanse the open-air aged staves. The chocolate + apple edges toward bitter/sour cocoa, but thankfully all that eventually fades, letting the deep chocolate-y flavors, oak, and bold spice occasionally harmonize in a way I usually associate with some very high-end products. Astringent finish that keeps tingling for a while with mint chocolate notes. A less common profile that can both delight and challenge, but realistically for $13/L this is a knockout. Price has jumped in the last 6 months up to a ~$20 bottle which is less of a steal as well as going NAS... direct competitor with the outstanding VFM WT101, which I’d probably pick over this aside from the scarcity factor/mystique. If anything, this is a touch over-oaked and I almost get the feeling that these were quick-aging barrels intended for Evan Williams Black Label that were bought on the cheap (accordingly) but continued aging to release with better “stats” and the result is mixed - a bit disjointed but some clear successes as well.