N: A light sweetness with a good hearty dose of wood, some caramel and a touch of vanilla. Familiar Beam sugary notes come through after a minute. Gets a bit thin and slightly peppery. Softens with a bit of time in the glass. 

P: A little cinnamon up front, some heat on the lips. Lots of caramel, some wood, a very little bit of dried orange. Slightly leathery with a hint of tobacco. 

F: A little kick of black cherries upfront, some vanilla behind and a little light pepper. 

This drinks a little hotter than it should, but it's one of the best Beam products I've had. Nice caramel body.  

Retasted this in 2013 and it's much better than I recall.  The nose has really nice rich oak notes with bubblegum and peanuts (like a day at the circus). The palate has savory oak notes and wood spice; it's slightly minty and quite complex. The finish has dry oak on the nose and sweet toffee on the palate.  Maybe this was just a great bottle or maybe they've improved it.  We'll see.