Nose is smokey oak sawdust with bit of leather. Starts with a sweet burst with a hint of carmel and vanilla and a bite of rye spice. Holding it at mid palete the rye spice explodes into a strong heat that goes down hotter than expected for the 90 proof rating. Would not call it smooth but it does have a certain oily feel. Think it could use a bit more aging to smooth it out and tame the rye. If you like rye forward for a pretty good price you will probably find this a nice sipper. For me I am not a rye fan and find this one to be pretty much one noted and lacking complexity and aging. Probably will not buy again.