Imagine my surprise at having my first pour of Wild Turkey 101, a brand I had always assumed to be below average, and really enjoying my first bottle. The nose is vanilla and oak, which rounds out to toffee and molasses at the swallow. The burn is not insignificant, but it also doesn't scorch the palate. In fact, once you process the burn out of your nasal cavity, that bit of heat dovetails beautifully with the dry barrel char. The barrel spices come through as a combination of lemon pepper and orange rind. (I'm guessing that's the rye.) Also has a cinnamon component that adds a little prickle at the end. The finish is a tannic pucker, which merges with an inky, metallic coda. I'm so pleased with this, and surprised by it's complexity, and it will have a regular presence on my shelf.