Not too woody (though some wood is definitely present) and definitely fruity with spices and flowers present. There is a bit of piercing cherry at the front, but then it fades to a smooth finish. A tad harsh, but not overly spicy or woody. There is definitely some heat from cinnamon and cloves here, but a bit of creamy brown sugar balances it out. There are both depth and variety, but an odd flavor or two mar the better qualities of this drink. I also wish that there were less spice in here. Despite its technical successes, I would not love to drink this regularly. I can see where Swift gets its clean flavor from though. This has a bigger, richer flavor than the Small Batch. The richness is impressive, with some mild mineral from the rye backing it. The sweetness is there, driven by red fruit that doesn't taste like cough syrup. The woody richness makes it taste old and refined, but it might be a bit much. There is definitely a bit of a kick here too. The finish has a nice rich, sweet cherry, plum flavor driving it. There must be some chocolate and toffee in here too go back the wood and cherry in richness and sweetness since neither of those flavors pack a big punch in this drink. The spiciness is excessive and its flavor is difficult to place. With the spiciness mixed with sweetness and generic richness this reminds me a bit of Russell's Reserve Single Barrel: It's good, but not terribly interesting. Despite having less depth, this is better than the Small Batch because the flavor is more enjoyable. I'm not a fan of the rye elements, but they do not overwhelm here. I guess I wouldn't really want to drink a ton of this, but it's OK. The nose is rich and sweet with a nice syrupy cherry smell and some cinnamon, clove, and ginger, as well as the obvious vanilla. The nose is delightful and sufficiently complex. The palate has a bolder flavor than that of the Small Batch, though the alcohol does really come through. There's a surprising spearmint note that I'm not a big fan of. It's less syrupy than expected and more peppery. The pepper flavor really takes over and makes the herbal element stand out. Combining that with the spearmint, this doesn't taste that great. The vanilla and but of butterscotch are good, but they get totally shouted down. The cherry is paired with bitter raspberry seeds (like, a lot of bitter raspberry seeds). The spice and smoke mix with the strong herbal presence and lack of sweetness to make a statement, but the result is not a bourbon I'd love to drink. I appreciate the stronger flavor than the Small Batch, but the actual flavor isn't as good unfortunately. It's not bad, but there's a lot of alcohol and a mismatch between the rich backing and cacaphony of bitter, spicy flavors hanging out at the front. Yes, chocolate and brandied cherries are present and enjoyable; however, they aren't able to balance the flavor out. It wins out over the Small Batch with its richness, but it isn't great.