My first time tasting 101 was 20 years ago from a bottle that had been in the back seat of a truck for more than a day. It was HOT. It burned so bad that was all I could taste. 20 years later I'm trying it again, frozen this time. Still a lot of heat, but it's from the rye. There is caramel and vanilla as well, with a nice spicy after taste. With ice I get a bit of chocolate with the after taste, and the initial rye burn is quieted a little. MUCH better this time around.