Taste: .5 oz neat in glen cairn and then .5oz with 2 drops in glen cairn rested for 15 mins. Nose: Neat this is all Menthol and wintergreen. There is some vanilla, marzipan, and lots of spice. The sweeter notes come forward with the addition of water. The nose on this is an eye opener! Palate: neat this is very condensed rye. Almost like rye concentrate, but that is exactly what it is supposed to be at this proof and being NCF. The mouthfeel is exquisitely oily and buttery. Water brings forth some butterscotch, Christmas cookie, almost like a snickerdoodle or those spiced cookies with the sugary sprinkles on top. The wintergreen is noticeable along with rye bread. Finish: Finish is long an lasting. This rye doesnt play one bit. There is a nice cherry pop with oak on the end that I wish I had more of throughout and less of the wintergreen. Overall: I was hyped for this one. Being a huge fan of Cornerstone Rye and a Russell's SiB Rye devotee, I wanted this to knock my socks off. In some ways it did- pronounced flavors, thick mouthfeel, an "in your face" finish. In other areas I was kind of disappointed- really strong menthol and wintergreen that overshadowed sweeter flavors, was very condensed, and a bit overpowering with spice. My thought is.....and hopefully not wishful thinking.... is that air and time could make this very special once it opens up. For now, though......I would stick with good old Russell's SiB Rye. I will re-rate this one later but for now I will go 3.75/5