A 113.6 proof MGP, NAS rye for $40. Can this compete with the acclaimed Rosseville straight out of MGPs rickhouses? What about with new guys like Pinhook’s 4y Tiz Rye or the formidable Smooth Ambler ryes that again, are all MGP! Honestly, how can there be so much competition among bottlers/producers all using 4 to at most 6y MGP rye? Let’s find out... This one. Priced the same as Pinhook’s Tiz Rye. Why I picked this first, who knows. Light in color and relatively light on the nose. Light caramel notes, pepper, hint of dill and lemon peel (not unlike New Riff’s non-MGP high rye bourbon). Mash bill on this one is 90% rye with the possibility of some corn thrown in. Caramel, a bit of leather, dark chocolate and pepper, perhaps a puff of smoke and hint of #4 char barrel in there. Pretty dang good by my standards. Not as earthy or herbal as a 4y Willett and not as sweet or complex as the everlasting finish of Russel’s single barrel rye. I feel like I’ve seen at least one other enthusiast sipper refer to this as Mexican chocolate and in many ways I see the resemblance! Will have to go back for the Tiz Rye, grab a pour of a friends Rossville and possibly crack a recently unearthed Smooth Ambler 4y rye and let the battle rage on. This one certainly threw its punches today. Until next time MGP rye (next time Gadget, next time).