Opens with an intensely spicy, dark fruit and apple aroma. You can smell the malt beneath the spice and fruit. Apple and cinnamon hit the tongue first, and are replaced by a spicy red fruit which seems to be steeped in potpourri. The finish is medium length with wood and baking spices and a bitterness that isn’t unpleasant. A few drops of Water mellow out the wood and cinnamon spice and allow the bread-y malt and stewed dark fruits to shine. The original biting finish transforms to a pleasant mouth coating warmth. Definitely interested in more from this distillery - it’s an interesting base offering. Update: really mellows as the bottle opens up. Definitely no water required, the spiciness and bitterness have been squished. Upped to 4.0. I’m thinking about replacing the bottle.