*Note: the 1.75l bottle I have is probably from the early 2000s. Visual: Honey-gold; thin, quick, erratic legs. Nosing: strong notes of fresh oak, powdered sugar, vanilla and toffee. Oak char hits the back of the nostrils. Floral and decently sweet apple candies. Tasting: sweet with hints of diacetyl (artificial butter). Strong oak and generally smooth. Vanilla, toffee, and a thin caramel come through. Thin-medium body and a quick finish. Reduced Nosing: with added water, artificial caramel comes through. However, stronger vanilla and oak is at the forefront. Nothing much new comes out. Reduced Tasting: sweet vanilla wafer and fresh oak shavings. Definitely better than Crown Royal, that's for sure. There's more complexity here and can be a decent slipper. It's nothing to write home about, but there's MUCH, MUCH, MUCH worse out there.