I'm giving this another go since my last review. I fight with this pour. It seems like when I go for this as a follow-on pour (not the first of the day) I enjoy it thoroughly. When I try to sit down for tasting notes it feels like it loses some of it's magic. Let's try this again!
Company on Label: Michter's
Whiskey Type: Finished Straight Rye Whiskey
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed
Proof: 109.2°
Age: NAS
Further identification: Barrel No 20G1711
Nose: Spicy, potent red wine sweetness. Sharp vanilla that is layered like a light linen over a basket of fresh plums. Syrupy funk similar to the sweetness of Michter's toasted barrel sour mash. Right nose stings a bit, left nose highlights creamy caramel. Sweet lemon glaze. Hints of dark chocolate shavings. Shiny light metallics now, like a kitchen sink smell. Caramel fades into a nice raisin late. Vanilla continues to dominate all the way through. Some cardboard and pepper are parting gifts of this wild pour.
Palate: Instant cherry mouth coating. Cinnamon. Funky double oak influence. Really creamy feeling; the linger is a blend of many rich stewed stone fruits. While the palate is little bit one directional, the linger and finish are exceptionally flavored and long: featuring all the rich fruits you could want.
I think where this really shines is maybe as a follow up to a traditional rye. As a first pour of the day there's not much of a frame of reference to make you appreciate these flavors. For that reason I'm going to have to rank this similarly to my previous review. For some reason this (and E.C. Toasted Barrel for that matter) is just too hit or miss glass to glass on the palate for me.