Well, I've known about this liqueur (and it's yellow sibling) for a good while, but for some reason, I've just recently been seeing more and more cocktail recipes that are requiring this. I've known about the high price, but not the high proof, which, combined with a curiosity of said new-to-me cocktails, went ahead with the purchase. Against my better wishes, I want to try a few ounces of this the same way I would any other spirit, and start to do the same for all of my other liqueurs as well. With the complexity and the highest ingredient count of any beverage I've ever had, this is one hell of a place to start. Of course there's a lot to the nose, but my immediate thoughts, without thinking, include notes of furniture cleaner, anise (not even licorice, instead the actual ground spice, in this case), dried citrus peels, juniper berries, and do many other tiny spices and botanicals that blend too much for me to pick out. There is a little ethanol, but not enough for me to predict the moderate 110 proof. The initial flavor is nothing but spices, like the entire aisle of Whole Foods spices were mixed in. Even holding the liquid still, the spices seep all around the mouth, being both an oily and a dry texture. The anise flavor starts to creep in somewhat here, but it's not until it's swallowed that it's really made known. The flavors in the mouth and throat now differ, letting the spicier notes come through in the throat, while the mouth gets more of the raw, baking spices. Once air is introduced, this becomes as dry as if I were eating sand. Fresh notes of very dry citrus and some juniper help mold the finish. Cheers indeed to anyone who's got a glass of this neat right now, because this is a bit too concentrated for me to enjoy it that way. The possibilities of enhancing and playing with different flavors in cocktails are definitely endless, especially since some liquors would bring out notes of this that others would not be able to. Calling this unique goes without saying, but I do love the history and secrecy behind the creation. I wouldn't go as far as saying that this is a needed liqueur for everyone's bar, but it's for sure available and recommended for those who are craving and urging to find the next best mixed combination.