Right off the bat the nose is molasses with a hint of butterscotch. The smoke is really just a puff but it does come through. Some black pepper that mingles with the inside of a sherry cask. Vanilla bean. There is a surprising chocolate and coffee base that comes at the tail end that I wasn't expecting. The nose is a lot more complex than I gave a credit for initially. The first taste that I'm getting is those oloroso sherry casks: it's a sweet and rounded flavor but with just a hint of bitterness at the tail end.that flavor morphs into plums and stone fruits on the sides of the tongue. There is a tannic puckery flavor that comes through on the bottom of the tongue.The flavors are a combination of sweet and prickly spice. It is really a beautiful taste and one that I think you need to really sit with and ponder before you can truly appreciate it. The finish is sweet cherry and sour sherry. The barrel aging comes through at just the right strength: It is not too overpowering but it is not weak either. Just a touch of tobacco and smoke at the very end. I am incredibly impressed with this scotch and I feel like I gave it short shrift on my first taste of it.