Spice and oak in the nose, and that continued into the taste. I would call it peppery. There was some caramel in there, but the spiciness was the prominent element. The sweetness was more subdued than many other bourbons I've tasted. Finished with spice notes prominent at first, then slowly drifted into oak and then a soft vanilla. This bourbon was decidedly different from the prominent "oak & vanilla" flavors of so many other bourbons. For me, it didn't work very well. Update 2-28-21: finally got around to trying this one again, and I like it better this time.