Rossville Union 7 Year Barrel Proof Rye

Tasting neat. Shiny copper color and thin legs in the glass. Nose is caramel corn, bubble gum, and a little green sweet grass and rye spice in the background. On the palate, heavy baking spices, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, and spicy rye grass. Tannic oak, leather, tobacco, strong black licorice, and vanilla. Ethanol bloom makes this a coating mouthful. Tannic flavors carry into the finish where sour cherry and dried fruit sweetness peek out from the spicy rye and licorice that dominates this whiskey. Tingling menthol lingers in a long finish that feels warm and coating. An ice cube tempers it a bit, but there's still a ton of flavor. This is a big burly rye, one you're gonna wrestle with. Maybe it's over the top and lacks in balance. Definitely going to be hard if you don't like licorice or tannins. Will overwhelm novice rye drinkers, but they'll get a front-row look at what a forceful rye really tastes like. This is aged Ross & Sqibb, with a lot of barrel char on that high rye MGP mashbill. Already tried mixing it (which is a sin, but... great too). It holds its own with sweet vermouth or amaro, and makes a spicy ginger beer highball. Two thumbs up. And I like the new bottle shape and label too.