First of all this bottle is a screw top and doesnt have a cork… It looses a couple of points from me before i taste it. Just sayin… On the nose i get vanilla, oak, char, and the slightest hint of cut grass. First sip has a heavy woody taste as the name proclaims. Also noted some sweet vanilla and charred oak. Ice softens some of the burn and offers a stronger note of vanilla and smoke. I like this with ice more than neat.