A very pleasant yeasty nose.  An explosive sweet-mint arrival! Continues in the development.  A long minty finish.  When I first opened this I was disappointed-the abv concealed the flavor and water seemed to highlight its fragility.  After about 3 weeks this has really blossomed and water helps not hinders.  I am with VinzClortho.  This is good stuff.  Is it worth the price?  If you have some money yes.  I do not regret paying +$100 for this.

(Batch 1).  I've not had many ryes, but I like this one.  Thankfully unlike being batted about the face with a stale loaf of pumpernickel. Nose - like walking in an autumn forest eating a maple muffin?  Taste - Mild sweetness, gentle attack, flavorful, balanced.  A round, creamy, savory  polished-down, integrated pine or eucalyptus-like flavor with a hint of warm bread, subtle oak, a fleeting shift to oregano, a somewhat faint finish.  I dont get the spearmint or cinnamon blast I expected from some reviews.  Just about right in concentration strength to me, used a little water.  Lacks the zingy, strange, dramtic floral or cilantro-like notes of Sazerac 18.  I dont get the off-putting artificial clingy or bitter notes I recall from Old Overholt.  The pine like note is well integrated, subdued and enjoyable, not over strong to me like some ryes or spearmint gum.  A solid, refined, warm rye that I look forward to returning to.  

Obvious rye notes on the nose and taste, and it's not bad at all, but it suffers from too much hype. People were hoarding these and looking to profit in the secondary market, but most people would not pay much over retail price for these. Probably tens of thousands of bottles available. It's a pretty standard rye. The finish, however, is NOT good -- thin, lacks power, and has an off-taste bitterness. I would much rather get a SAOS or Willett's rye, or one of the high rye Four Roses over this.