35 Maple Street Masterson's 10 year old straight rye

Here is a straight rye bottled by an American company, but distilled and matured in Canada. Rumour has it that this is an ADL product.

Nose: very oily, potent. Pine sap, hints of apple. A big nose that screams rye but doesn't really push the right buttons for me.

Taste: quite dry and thick on the tongue, with lots of immediate spice. Some clean wood flavours. Then a fruity sourness takes over. There is something almost industrial about the strength of the flavour here.

Finish: overripe sourness persists.

Balance: I can see why such whisky is used as an ingredient in Canadian blends, rather than being bottled straight up. This is pretty rough stuff, definitely an acquired taste. I'm not down with the sourness, personally. I would rather have a top-notch blend like Wiser's Legacy where the rye is tempered and balanced. Lot No. 40 is also a better example of Canadian rye done right. For the price they are charging, this just doesn't taste like a well-crafted whisky to me.