Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt (Discontinued)

The way the smoke rises off the end of this thing is very satisfying but I'm getting ahead of myself. The nose is caramel and toffee. Thank god it's not as sweet as it smells. It tastes like a green apple got lit and hooked up with some honey nut oats. This is a nice blend though you could just drink Johnnie Walker Black for half the cost. Advise a side by side tasting.

A touch more smoke than I prefer.

I found this to be both eminently and imminently drinkable. Nicely toasted start and finish, warm and nutty all the way through. Not a complex ride by any stretch of the imagination, but a damn good weeknight dram.