The nose starts with charred oak, smoke, leather and a bit of brine. Notes of vanilla, molasses and baking spices follow in the background, rounding it out for a pleasant experience. The palate is dry and slightly chewy, with a burst of baking spices, cherry syrup, charred oak and leather. It comes off much more bold than it did on the nose, giving you quite a surprise. As it breathes it does mellow out a bit without losing its edge. Some faint hints of some of the sweeter notes do present themselves, but this remains a very oak and spice forward whiskey. The finish is long and spicy with the mouth tingling until you take your next sip, as charred oak and baking spices slowly fade. This is quite good for how bold and intensive, a real treat if that is something you are looking for. It's not complex and honestly it's probably not that well balanced, however it nails being big and bold and spicy, which can go a long way.