Nose: pleasant, but hot. Kind of like the nose tingle you get from a campfire. Taste: not nearly as hot as it smells. Much smoother than the nose leads you to believe. Rye flavor comes through with a slightly oily mouthfeel. Sweet, slightly leathery, and almost floral. Finish: not overpowering. Spice comes through for a light burn. Still slightly oily. The back of the bottle states that after spending 2 years in 50 gallon barrels, it is then finished in small craft barrels. That finishing definitely makes the whiskey. I have two small barrels myself to extra age whiskey and i know from experience the magic they make. I feel like this would be a good bottle to use if you were to try to introduce rye to someone.