Black Barrel is a mix of pot still (80% I read somewhere) and grain whiskey that is decently aged, more than you would expect in a $38 bottle of whiskey. I love Irish pot still so I had to try this. It has a fresh fruity smell typical of pot still. In the mouth it is very creamy and has fruit, citrus and a bit of grain taste. The finish is a little spicy with a taste of char, not smoke. Apparently they char the heck out of ex-Bourbon barrels and age the potstill/grain mix in them. You can absolutely taste that char but it doesn't take over. It's kind of like a poor man's Midleton Very Rare and I really like it. The low abv (40%) works in its favor if you want to drink it neat. I didn't have it over ice but it would probably be good in that role, abv be damned. It is not very complex but tastes good and makes a great daily drinker!