The aroma of burnt malt is a profound and multi-faceted olfactory experience, an intricate dance between sweetness, bitterness, smoke, and grain. It opens with an immediate impression of deep, caramelized sugars, akin to dark brown sugar left just a moment too long on the heat, evolving into a more pronounced, almost brittle char. There's a distinct toastiness, reminiscent of over-roasted coffee beans or heavily caramelized crusts of rustic bread, mingled with an underlying dry, grainy earthiness characteristic of malted barley itself. The 'burnt' aspect introduces a sharp, sometimes acrid smoke initially, which then mellows into a warm, almost comforting embers-like glow. Its texture is rich and dry, often with a powdery, dusty facet that clings to the olfactory palate. Intensity is typically medium to high, projecting a warm, enveloping aura. It behaves primarily as a powerful heart note, bridging into the base, providing immense depth and longevity with its tenacious, smoky-sweet trail.