Nose (10%): nice roasted aroma. Rye, baking spice, tobacco, peppercorn, heather honey. Fairly light on the aroma for the proof. Lightness is alright, but I expected more punch. 8/10
Palate (20%): starts with light brown sugar sweetness. Dry oak, leather. It's a nice sweet and spicy whiskey, a good oaky note given the 6 years in a colder environment. Good for mixing in cocktails. Decent on its own. 14/20
Finish (10%): A swift hit of spice that fades into a light, mild finish. Medium length. It's not a rough alcohol burn at all. 7/10
Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): It's not my favorite whiskey for sipping neat, but it seems perfectly good for sours or other cocktails. It's a balanced rye all around, but nothing exceptional in any direction. It's clearly made by a professional and doesn't have that harsh ethanol burn many whiskeys have had for me lately when I sip them neatly. It's very similar to other Canadian ryes I've had. 17/30
Retry on Ice (25%): This makes it better. Things really start to come out in terms of spices. Much more bite and punch. It's still very clean, but the flavor is more pronounced. 22/25
Total Ranking: 73% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill
Conclusion: Dave Pickerell designed this whiskey for cocktails, and it is more budget-friendly than the more expensive Whistlepig options. I have extreme respect for the late Dave Pickerell. The thing is, it's still a pricey rye. I see how certain bars could use this for signature menu cocktail options as a promotion. In fact, my current place of employment uses this for one of their drinks at the $16 price mark. I wouldn't buy this at MSRP. It's okay, though there are better options for sipping at that price and cheaper options for cocktail purposes.
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