Nose before swirling: Red wine, melted butter, agave, and spice mix consisting of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and confectioners sugar. A faint whiff of oak sawdust. Nose post swirl: Vanilla bean, light colored tree fruit and prominent velvety agave. A slightly acidic snap to the aroma. Roasted filberts. Ripe darker colored fruit scents emerge and marry/integrate with the Marsala notes making for a warm round impression. I’m crazy about the nose on this. Flavor: Spicy, oily and viscous - with piercing pepper and a reminder that there is extra ethanol present. You can feel the heat as it journeys through the body. Still abundant fruit and agave - but more a background player to the pepper and cinnamon red hot spice. A tiny bit of bitters. Finish: All elements settle into place by the time you get to the finish. The Marsala wine barreling, which I had feared might dominate the profile - did not. I love what the fertile minds at Fortaleza bring to us each November. Thanks.