Delicate, light and comprised of ethereal high notes. The initial impression upon tasting is a compact bomb of sweetness, barely corraled by what appears to be a young cask aging. But, this is a deception, as the sponge candy formerly so apparent, soon transitions into a lot of oak and darkening tannins. A real surprise that makes the profile hard to nail down. This is the kind of whisky that would make a superior highball in the Japanese tradition, but as a limited edition release, I doubt that many will pursue that avenue of enjoyment. However, on its own, Nikka The Grain stands as a testament to the exquisite skill of masterful blending. For the Japanese whisky collector, you will not do better in 2023 than this elegant release.