Really smooth, not Spicy for a rye. Love the 110 proof full body flavor. No way you guess this is 110proof in a blind taste test. This is one of my favorite whiskeys and has become a staple at my house. Dollar for dollar you are going to have an extremely hard time matching the quality. I think the best thing about this whiskey is that it is like a high rye bourbon. Its really really rich yet its really smooth with very little rye bite, but still that good rye flavor. Its just a really great drink.