Nose: apple, cinnamon, caramel, flower peddles, black pepper. Taste: baking spices, dark fruits, black pepper, black tea. Thoughts: as a fan of Elijah Craig and a fan of most rye I was excited to try this, and it meets expectations, unfortunately it does not exceed them. It's good a solid 4. A well made summer block buster but not a mind blowing Dark Knight. It is totally worth the price and a solid cornerstone of any bar cart easily taking the place of whatever rye you have there now. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Sazerac, Written House, and Old Forester.