The nose is subdued and balanced with a nice hit of vanilla and a little fruit amidst the richness. It's fairly smooth to drink with a bit of spice coming through. The flavor is nice and balanced with wood and toffee notes. It's definitely packing in the vanilla and some anise. Is on the sweet side and doesn't taste as old as 8 years. It's soft, but enjoyable. I'd have preferred something more robust, but I'll take this. With the softness and sweetness, it's a bit like an American Single Malt. This is sippable but not a stellar expression. It's a good deal for the price though. It has a bitter, herbal smell. It smells rich, but also smooth. There's a dark cherry scent that reminds me of Cognac and there's also some rye with a little bit of spice. At only 42%, it's on the watery side, but there is still some nice flavor. It has a bit of prickly spice throughout that is nice rather than overwhelming. There are rich red fruits that are neither fresh nor dried nor soaked in syrup. Some orange zest comes out and there is a dark chocolate wood backing with some toffee that is subtle and not overwhelming. It would be better if it were a bit stronger and richer and less sweet, but it's quite good. I'd prefer some more complexity as well, but the flavor itself is quite good. There's some rye-like mineral that comes out and detracts from the richness but adds another dimension without dragging the thing down. I like the flavor in general; it's sort of like a more refined Old Forester Signature that is also lighter and smoother with a few extra notes. That said, that doesn't make it excellent. It's solidly drinkable, but it doesn't have the bourbon character I'd really like.