This is a unique combination of Rye whiskies from Jim Beam’s distilleries in Kentucky and their colleagues at Alberta Distillers in Canada, with a touch of California Port wine added in. The nose has notes of baked fruits and subtle spices with hints of orange, clove, allspice, and berry cobbler. The taste is dry, astringent, and wine-like with notes of red grapes, plums, figs, and hints of clove, ginger, and almonds. The finish is long and wine-like with rye spices, and to be honest, this one is more wine-like than whisky, but it might just be the thing for a wine lover trying whiskey for the first time. (December, 2017)