--- Second of two reviews after 3 months and at 1/4 bottle --- Subtitled: Mr Hyde is really Dr Jekyll Slowly over time, once the seal on a whisky bottle is broken and as the content level begins to fall, the smell and taste of the spirit inside can start to change. This much is known, but why does it happen? Some say oxidation, others dissipation; as far as I'm concerned and where the Matsui Mizunara is involved, you might as well call it near-spontaneous transmogrification. If Blackened Whiskey can be aged rapidly in "black brandy" barrels via emission of the "black noise" sounds of Metallica, then why not transmogrification, albeit near-spontaneous? Back to the topic at hand, it hasn't been long since the seal was broken on the Matsui Mizunara Cask and I posted my first review. Three months, 3/4 of the bottle gone and this whisky is no longer the harsh ethanolic and bitter disappointment it started off as. Thus, this second review. The nose has turned elegant and nuanced. Perfumed notes of jasmine and lemon flowers abound, twisted around a pillar of new oak wood. Further exploration reveals notes of sandalwood, toasted malt and an elusive herbal incense of sage and heather. The arrival on the palate is still hot but tamer, even welcoming, for without the heat, the accompanying astringency would’ve been overpowering. As it stands, the short-lived, hot and tarty discomfort only serves to highlight further the palate’s rapid development into a sumptuous lemon meringue pie, complete with elderflower-infused honey poured onto its lightly browned, billowy top. A remarkable taste. Post development and as the liquid runs its course, winter spices of cinnamon and nutmeg appear at the back of the palate. There's a final burst of black pepper, the second, and polite, reminder that this whisky is served at 48% ABV, as it opens up to a leggy finish. More of those winter spices and some white pepper heat now, but those bitter oak tannins of earlier tasting sessions have now subsided enough to let the back of the throat appreciate a final gentle burn of the curiously limoncello-flavoured alcohol. A whole Distiller star bump up for this one. Well done Matsui Mizunara, slow and steady wins the race, but unfortunately, at your price level, you'll be left sitting on the bench next time round. Final word: This whisky was a double gold winner at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2020 top mention. Did these people also taste a 1/4 bottle dram?