I've had a bottle of this sitting in the basement for 16 years unopened. I finally decided to crack it open. I'm more of a bourbon drinker. However, I decided to give this a try. It's definitely got a different taste than bourbon. It's still very drinkable, though. I'm not sure how to describe the smell and taste. Maybe licorice and dried fruit? It has a bit of spice to it. The flavor lingers long after the sip. Good if you like it, not so good if you don't. It's not something I'd drink a lot of, but it's pretty nice for an after dinner cocktail over ice.