This is rated so low because 50+ dollars for this is robbery. aside from that it wouldnt be so bad at a 30 dollar price point but there is little to nothing that great going on that would impress a scotch fan or actually any single malt fan in general. A deep dark malt note, a small dash if something adjacent to corn sweetness, mild nuttiness and some herbal, earthier notes closer to the end. The color is light and slightly oily but also thin. the finish is definitely earthy with peppery notes. there is no peaty notes, its closer to an earthy wood smoke. Another issue i come across is the new american oak barrels which i find to be slightly bland compared to a bourbon barrel or sherry cask finish in other malts. It comes off young and underdeveloped. if your looking for islay level smoke or a fruity and nutty highland then this is probably not in your best interests. meh :^(