Nose: caramel or maybe chocolate, cinnamon or a baking spice, pine needles - basically something like a Christmas cookie Taste: spicy, rye, salty, not much sweetness Finish: hot and dry, rye but neither pickle or licorice After reading reviews: flaviar and whizzky had clove and I’d agree that is a better descriptor than what I said was cinnamon. Cocoa also was noted, as was the overly spicy rye character that dominated for me. Reviews cited more sweetness in the taste than I got. Overall, this was maybe too much rye for my tastes which is good to know.