Appearance: In the bottle this liqueur is extremely dark brown, almost inky black. When poured as a small taste in a sherry glass it is dark mahogany when held against a white background, and when held up to a strong light it is translucent hazy burnt sienna. Aroma: Most reviews I've seen have said that the smell of this liqueur is like a cup of strong black coffee. That's absolutely correct but I don't think it goes far enough. To me it is precisely like a handful of freshly ground espresso-roast arabica coffee beans, thick with aromatic oils and so fragrant that it fills the room with the aroma. There is no alcohol smell at all. Taste and Texture: Silken and velvety on the palate, it has excellent body but is not thick. It arrives soft and sweet but is not overly sugared. It develops precisely like a slightly sweetened caffè corretto, with the spike being vodka plus a couple of drops each of vanilla essence and sirop de cacao. The alcohol content is warming and comforting, and not at all hot or intrusive. This is not nearly as cloying as most coffee liqueurs, but in case you happen to have a sweet tooth and the thought of a bittersweet liqueur makes you have second thoughts, do not be concerned. This is still a sweet liqueur, just not as sickly sweet as most. It is, in fact, precisely like a cup of perfectly brewed, strong, Australian-style (i.e. European-style) black coffee with just enough sugar added to balance the bitterness. I could happily take a dram of this after dinner instead of my usual black coffee. There is just one final thing to mention. This is even superior to my home-made coffee liqueur, and that's something I never thought I would say. If there is a better coffee liqueur I have yet to taste it and I agree completely with the official Distiller score. "Outstanding" : 93/100 (5 stars)