Lost Republic Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch Cask Strength

I was keen to try this since it's from my area and a great price for a barrel strength bourbon. These folks use MGP with a high rye mash bill. I generally enjoyed it. I should mention I've never had their regular bourbon or rye, even though it's local, because it's often quite expensive and I prefer to sample first. The cask strength release is what pushed me to buy since that's my preference. Nose: Quite floral and grassy with hints of vanilla and orange zest. This mash bill is supposed to have no wheat and be high rye, but it gives me the impression of a wheated bourbon. I detect a lot of grass and herbal notes like dill in the aroma. Flavor: Very approachable and mild initially with light vanilla and honey. Not intensely flavorful but also not unpleasant. Considering the high proof, it's not overpowering, which I appreciated. It's just somewhat strange that it has such a muted flavor at cask strength. I'm uncertain about my feelings on this. I'd say it's very well-rounded, with no single flavor truly dominating. Finish: The rye spice emerges at the end and somewhat overwhelms the other delicate flavors. I wish there was less rye spice, not because I dislike rye spice, but because the other flavors were so subtle that it essentially erased the pleasant notes I was enjoying after a few moments. The finish is also rather short for cask strength. Perhaps it could have benefited from a few more years in the barrel. A solid value at $45 for cask strength, but I think spending about $15 more for Stagg Jr. might be a better option since this is meant for sipping.

Spicy with a noticeable bite. The sweetness of the corn is detectable, but even after adding an ice cube, it retained a significant bite, reminding me more of a rye than a bourbon. It's not bad, but unremarkable.