After a couple extra years exploring the rye world, I can no longer say I am not a real rye fan. However, I at least know the types of rye that appeal to me best. The heavy dill ryes, and the eucalyptus ryes are not for me and I will continue to rate them lower. I have discovered that I really like Bourye blends as well as barely ryes. That being said, I had high hopes for Rittenhouse Rye. Unfortunately they did not pan out as expected. Given my love for Pikesville, I thought Rittenhouse would show up as a younger and more affordable sibling. Not quite. N - acetone, petrichor, chemical aroma like a floor wax almost, earthy tones a bit like fresh turned soil. P- Light vanilla, back of mouth spice, a bit of toasted bread...not a lot. F - Long cinnamon spice finish with floral and waxy aftertaste that was not the most pleasant. I was set to give a disappointing 2.5 star rating, but given it is a BIB offering in a world of NAS 90 proofers...for $26...I decided to overlook the hidden screw top( if you are going to be a screw top, don't cover it up like a cork top, be what you are) and still give it 2.75 stars.(BTW, Four Roses Single Barrel wooden cork tops fit Rittenhouse perfectly). However, with the remaining pour in my glass, I dropped in a fat rock of artisan clear ice and made some notes. The next taste was a very pleasant surprise. The rock had opened up some hidden sweetness and caramel notes that were missing in the neat pour. It actually had a bit of body, dimension, and balance that were absent before. I am fairly impressed with this as a $26 mixer for cocktails, and base for bucks, or rickeys. It is disappointing that it doesn't make the grade for me neat, but I can confidently give it 3 stars for it's age, proof, value, and ability as a rocks pour.