Aroma - Right off the bat, this whisky has a very prevalent and distinct ashy, smoky, coal aroma. It isn’t woody, and it isn’t burning campfire smoky, it’s the remnants of what’s left of a campfire the next day, heavy coal and ashy smokiness. This lends way to a somewhat meaty aroma, like smoked meats. I really dig it. Past this, I’m not getting much in the way of your typical bourbon aromas, the sweet type smells. Taste - Those same smoky, meaty qualities are in the flavor and are upfront. They quickly fade and finish with a typical slightly vanilla, slightly green apple, slightly sweet finish. This was tasted neat. Adding a teaspoon of cool water and... this dampens those smoky flavors and brings the green apple forward more. I actually find this less interesting with the dilution of water added. This is a GREAT, interesting bourbon with an out of the ordinary flavor. The smoky qualities are what make it unique, and I recommend having this one neat, without water or Ice, to preserve those flavors.