Reviewing this directly after trying the smoke wagon straight bourbon whiskey for the first time allows for a useful point of reference. Many of the same aromas can be found in the nose, but spicier and richer. This is more Dr pepper than Coca-Cola with Belgian sugar, spiced cocktail cherries, licorice, and angostura bitters. The more I smell this, the more I'm reminded of medicinal cherry cola Flavor wise, this is excellent. Better than I remember it being. I don't remember liking this when I first opened it, but I'm about a quarter into the bottle now and it's really opened up. Lighter, with deep complexity, sweetness, confectionery richness, with just a touch too much bitterness and barrel oak on the finish. My biggest complaint is that the finish is a touch on the short side. I do think it is important to point out that, with the temperature dropping, I am drinking this on the colder side of room temperature