The aroma is mostly grape, with a darker note like coffee perhaps. The palate is a delightful blend of flavors, starting with raisins and moving through to a sort of spice cake. The "dark" note shows up here as something like slightly burnt toast, not at all unpleasant. The finish leaves you with a warm, deep fruity feeling. Overall the taste is nicely "rounded" and almost buttery. This is pretty enjoyable stuff, especially at $30 a bottle. One store that I shop at online has it, but it doesn't seem widely available, which is a shame, as it's easily as good as some more expensive French brandies. I will likely buy more when I order from that store in the future.