Nose- caramel, vanilla, and just a puff of smokiness. This is traditional Old Forester, but without the green banana, and has a bit more depth. Taste- the taste is big, and rich. Caramel and vanilla are the main players, but there is a woodiness in the background. It's not old, rich oak wood, but more like a dustier wood shop. The traditional Old Forester 100 is in there, this in no way has any desire to abandon its roots- rightfully so! But there is a different woodier layer. Finish- finish is dare I say "smooth?" Not without taste, but perhaps one note- vanilla. The initial hit is big, but then fades for me all too quickly. It seems that those that find the smooth finish of a Tennessee Whiskey like JD will really like this, as it seems the rough edges are sanded off. Those that don't mind a bit of "talk back" in the finish, might find a flaw here. It's all matter of preference. Overall- I liked it, but it's not transforming Old Forester 100 by any means. It does exactly as it intends- adds a layer, but that is mostly wood. It also kind of lacks in the finish. If you find this bottle "in the wild" and at its msrp, it's a worthy addition to your shelf, and a really good riff on traditional Old Forester. I wouldn't seek it beyond that though, as it didn't wow me. Cheers!