The immediate sense is that this has a lot of alcohol. The flavor is surprisingly subdued, emphasizing the rich, natural rye flavor with licorice and enough sweetness. There is a little bit of wood, but it is surprisingly little due to the licorice masking. The sweetness is kind of caramely. This tastes sort of like a young rye mixed with an opinionated gin. Its pure character stands out but I expect some more complexity and deep flavors from an aged spirit. The caramel is mixed with some butterscotch and there is plenty of vanilla. There might be a little marzipan too. The flavors that it does have do land nicely, but they aren't necessarily the flavors I want in a rye. It's good, but needs more complexity and a richer presence. Essentially, it shouldn't be marketed at the premium level that it is.