It definitely has that rye character, but it isn't too strong. Like the Caribou Crossing Single Barrel, there is a lot of juniper in here, making it taste a bit like an aged gin. The catch though is that that flavor is a lot more palatable here. There's black pepper, ginger, and a lot of maple. It tastes a bit on the young side and doesn't have that mature complexity that I would really like from a whiskey. As an aged gin though it's pretty good. I could sip this, but it isn't terribly enjoyable. The things it does have going for it though are its clarity of character, clean finish, and refreshingness. It gets a pass, but barely. The vanilla mixes well with the other herbs, avoiding a gross, bitter outcome. There are hints of fruit that tend a little toward punchy cherry, but they sit in the background.