Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve Rye 6 Year Old

At my local grocery store I've always noticed this particular bottle of rye whiskey, it was the only one there and it looked like just to fill up space on the shelf. So I decided it was about the time where I try the reemerging style that is rye whiskey.

Nose: Sweet like a bourbon with vanilla, caramel, maple syrup and oddly sweet almonds. I was expecting something else... not entirely sure given the lack of experience of rye whiskey.

Body: Medium weight and relatively smooth with a notable tingle on the tongue more so than the E.C.12

Taste: Spicy is the predominate flavor which is expected. I detect rye spice and fall baking spices i.e. nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and some black pepper. This taste is quite contrasting from the nose. This is interesting....

Finish: Short yet powerful ending with the bursts of spicy rye and pepper with a drying ending.

Overall: Not entirely sure if this is a proper feel of a Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey so comments are welcome especially if you have a suggestion for a better rye. As a first time rye drinker this was a reasonably pleasurable experience.

Russell's Reserve is the selection of master distiller Jimmy Russell of Austin Nichols/Wild Turkey, in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

Nose: oak, caramel, vanilla

Taste: this comes on with a lot of low wood notes early, is rather sweet, but that sweetness is disguised by the strong rye spices. This has a much lower pitch than most ryes, but not nearly as low as the Van Winkle Rye. I almost never add water to rye whiskey, but it actually opens up the flavours with this whiskey quite a lot

Finish: long, with wood tones dominating spiciness at the periphery

Balance: this is woody in the way that some 15+ yr old bourbons are woody-- a remarkable thing in that the Russell's Reserve Rye is only 6 years in the wood. This is one whiskey that those who like big oak flavours will like and those who do not like the strong wood flavours will probably not care for