Nose strong ethanol smell even when I let it sit I still got that friction alcohol smell, can barely smell anything else. As for the taste, for a whiskey is terrible, On first sip it taste like cheap vodka with a hint of brown sugar with a weird burn. It mellow down a little if you let it sit but still taste just candy/ brown sugar and vodka mix just sweeter. Try it as ginger ale mix and a highball and it alright since it doesn't have much flavor. I guess at 17 cad$ it cheap to mix and get shit face. Personally I will spent the extra 3$ and get a dewars white label or a Ballantine at least they are drinkable neat and can be use for mixing .