So Kentucky Owl tends to be polarizing. Consensus is that the bourbon in particular is way overpriced; and while Batch 1 of the rye was mostly liked, Batch 2 didn't get much love (price hike probably didn't help). I tend to like the KY style of rye, especially the older ones, so I'd been curious about this one for a while. One of my regular local stores had Batch 3 in stock for a while at just under MSRP, so I ended up getting a bottle. I've had this on several occasions now, in fact I've gone through about 2/3 of the bottle with a buddy of mine, having a glass whenever we get together. So I figured it was time for a write-up while I still have some left. Nose - oak, vanilla, leather, rye toast, chocolate, cinnamon and nutmeg. Not super-complex, but really pleasant. The rye notes are not particularly dominant on the nose, but are definitely there. Palate - mouthfeel is somewhat oily, definitely not thin. Starts with brown sugar, vanilla, and dark chocolate, followed by greener notes of rye/spearmint along with some cinnamon/allspice. The finish is long, with those green rye notes lingering along with oak and a bit of caramel. The oak is present throughout, but without ever getting tannic/astringent. I like this a lot. Definitely one of my favorites of the ryes that I've tried. If I were to nitpick, I'd maybe like to see a little more rye character on the nose to add some complexity. But the palate is everything I want in a rye. One of my other favorites is Wild Turkey Cornerstone. In a side-by-side recently we gave a slight edge to Cornerstone on the nose, but preferred the palate on KY Owl enough to give it the overall win. I had some Willett 10yr Rye a while back in a restaurant, and going from memory I'd say this batch of KY Owl is in that league. I easily prefer it over Michters 10 Rye, TH Handy, and Lock Stock & Barrel 18 yr. So, is it overpriced? Well, I'd be happy if it cost less; but I don't regret buying the bottle, and am seriously considering a backup.