Taste - (w/o water) Intense dark apple cider, hints of richly barrel aged apple-cherry cider, dark simple, dark chocolate, cinnamon, heat increases w/ subsequent sips, raisiny/nutty sherry (w/ water) Reduced heat, more vibrant/bright, heat appears much later, dark apple cider, hint of orange zest, raisiny cinnamon red hots Finish - (w/o water) Lingering heat, bitter dark chocolate, hints of dark syrupy but not overly sweet raisins (w/ water) Pretty much the same Score - 82/100 Final Thoughts - I have very mixed feelings about this one as the initial nose without water was very unique & had hints of cherry candies but this didn't really translate to the palate where it was more of the traditional dark raisiny sherry vibe mixed with unsweetened cocoa that really cut back the sweetness. A bit of water brought out some orange notes, but it seemed like it was dehydrated orange slices dipped in unsweetened dark chocolate. This wasn't bad, but it seemed like it was a very confused Scotch. It nosed like it wanted to be a desserty Scotch, but hit the palate like a candy maker that forgot to add sugar to their chocolate. It definitely had the nose and mouthfeel of an older Scotch, but just felt a bit off. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - No Would I buy a bottle? - No NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.