Dark amber pour hinting of ruby. The malt dominated the spices. There was an earthy hops aroma, but it was fairly weak. Cinnamon and nutmeg are there in weak amounts. It's malty sweet and the spices are hinting...it's tough to pick out a single one. This is actually a good thing. No single flavor overpowering another. Nice and balanced. I've always enjoyed this, but I was more fond of it this year than previous years...maybe it's my fancy pants Sam Adams glass I just got!