Rating: 16/23 This is batch 1. OK, so Kavalan has release a malt whisky in the $40-$50 range and they're recommending it be used for cocktails? This just dumbfounds me. I'm approaching this one cautiously because although I've liked Kavalan's other offerings, the cocktail designation sounds like they might be trying to cover for something with some pretty serious flaws. N: Very tropical. The first thing that his me is actually a little hogo. There's this dryness with a woody undertone that gradually develops some depth, going from a little charcoal to not-quite-green wood, throwing in a bit of leather, and then bringing out a little vanilla. All of this is aside from the big tropical fruitiness. I get pineapple with mango, banana, papaya, and orange (or perhaps tangerine?). There's also a faint papery mustiness at times. The alcohol really doesn't show through here. It's a great nose. P: That dryness with wood and apery must hits first. The charcoal and leather are nowhere to be found.There are some nice spices in an interesting combination: cinnamon, white pepper, and ginger. None of the spices are very strong though. And of course there are the tropical fruits: pineapple, orange, apricot, papaya, mango, and maybe faint banana. There's a lot going on here, but it also has plenty of youthful energy (in a good way). There's nothing here that I'd consider to be a youthful flaw and the dryness and papery mustiness add a sense of maturity. The complexity is quite good and the balance is edgy but on point. F: Dry, tart paperiness with faint fruit that has turned slightly bitter. Faint malty sweetness perhaps. Honestly, this is the most disappointing part because it gets muddled and vanishes rather quickly. - Conclusion - Well I'll be darned: this is quite and enjoyable sipper. Seriously, why waste this on a cocktail? Side by side with the Kavalan Concertmaster, I'm now finding the Concertmaster to be thin and a bit uninteresting in comparison. Particularly considering the price difference, this one is a no-brainer (though I hear that batch 2 was more spice-centric and not as good (weird that consistency wouldn't be maintained for something allegedly intended for cocktails)). At $40, this is a solid buy. At $50, I definitely wouldn't regret buying it. At $60, it's a bit over-priced and $70 is a pass. The interesting tropical flavor is well worth trying out though. For anyone looking to add a single bottle of malt whisky with that Southeast Asian tropical flavor to their bar, this is the one I'd recommend. In fact, I actually just gifted a bottle of it because it was about the right price, is approachable, and is a good dram overall. So in terms of rating, this is at least a 16. This doesn't quite have the same power to it as Westward does and there's a bit of a bitterness that this has in comparison, but they're honestly quite close in quality. This also compares favorably with Loch Lomond 12 (16/23), though the Loch Lomond is a bit fuller. This is slightly lower ABV than the other two, so I'm not surprised that it isn't quite as full. This also fights to keep up with Amrut Peated (16/23), though it's a close fight. Huh, maybe a 15 would be possible here. Well, I've got this at 'at least a 16, but maybe a 15', so I think a 16 is where is belongs.