Nose: Small hints of hay and red apples with a large amount of ethanol and a suggestion of overripe pineapple. Taste: Very bland with a lack of distinct flavors. Extremely thin. Slightly sweet entry with a hay mid-palate. Bitter apple peel and ethanol lie on the very short finish with a suggestion of pepper. Taste with 5ml water: Ethanol is reduced on the finish and pepper lingers longer with a distinct maltiness. Not much has changed here. This is effectively Jameson with a red apple peel dropped in it. Not impressed with this compared to what I've had before even at price points below this one. The thin mouthfeel and lack of ABV are really hurting here. This should not be $40 per bottle on the shelf. The taste hints at over-used casks and a lack of cask influence. Try a Tomatin 12 for more complexity, mouthfeel, and funkiness for $30. Try Highland Park 12 for a peated, more fulfilling experience for $45.