This is my first Japanese whiskey. When I noticed that this expression won a 2025 international spirits competition for best overall whiskey, I decided to finally take a plunge and i am so glad i did. Japanese whiskey is built on the Scottish technique, and you can taste the lineage in the precision and balance of that defines this bottle. Compared to its Highland/Spyside Scottish peers which i love, I would say this whiskey is a bit lighter on the smoke and more emphasis on harmony and balance throughout the sipping experience. This whiskey is exceptionally drinkable and has broad appeal across a range of tastes. The nose offers a very enticing blend of dark fruit, honey, vanilla, and floral undertones. This expression comes with a nice creamy burst of complementary flavors including smoke, leather, oak, dry fruits, chocolate, and light baking spices. The finish is silky smooth with a dash of butterscotch that fades fairly fast. If you are a whiskey connoisseur, you will appreciate the smoothness, balance, and expansive range of flavors but you will probably not find the boldness and complexity of higher ABV Scottish single malts.