McKenzie Single Barrel Straight Rye (Syracuse Bourbon Society's Rockin Wh-Rye)

The nose is very fruit forward with a perfect amount of smooth oak and vanilla, slightly floral rice spice - that borders on being earthy, and a distinct butteriness that makes this very unique for a rye. You can definitely tell that this is a rye whiskey, but adding wheat to it gives it an extra dimension that takes it to a different level. You don't want to put this down as there is nothing quite like it. The palate is somewhat dry but so easy to swirl around the mouth acid fills with a peppery rye spice balanced by oak, with a sweet fruitiness and creamy vanilla holding it all together. There is an incredible smoothness to this as the spiciness is tempered allowing you to explore nuances to this, which in particular here is cinnamon. It is so smooth and buttery while retaining spice. The finish is medium long and smooth yet spicy. You never lose sight of the rye spice, however the creaminess is always there. What an amazing balance between the two different flavors, getting the absolute best of both. This is something that absolutely should be done more often and is criminal that it isn't. A combination of the grains and the oak of the barrel has made this absolutely stunning.