Delaware Phoenix Rye Whiskey, 50%

Dark, hot brown sugar, sweet peppermint candy. A hot rye burner, but moderate on the palate: the heat's here, but the flavors come through clearly, in waves of mint, sugar, oily clove, and a brittle, sweet finish. This is no lapdog, but neither is it a clumsy, huge puppy; there's real rye character, the rough spots smoothed off by wood. A good young rye.