This spirit is distilled in Maine and is a blend of whiskey with spirits distilled from cane sugar (“sugar shine”) and finished in oak barrels with maple syrup added in for flavoring. As might be expected, there’s a strong note of maple syrup on the nose, along with oak, honey, buttered popcorn, and a hint of ginger root. The taste is sweet with maple syrup and underlying spices at first, then the cinnamon takes hold for a spicy and intense flavor with vanilla, honey, and the ever-present maple syrup in the background. The finish has lingering spices and that maple syrup note that remains as the spices fade. This one is not as well-balanced as it could have been, but would work well in a hip flask on a snowy Maine day. (September, 2016)