This is a re review first time I gave it 3/5 but I have since changed my mind. First of all they lowered the price. So if you can get this for $100 per bottle than its 5/5. The nose is really really rich, think of baked apples and pears. The palate is fruity forward with the taste of bitter oak. Then the finish transitions into a dry taste with a lingering whisp of smoke. I just had a ballantines 17 and I gotta say I prefer the royal salute. It's really rich for a blend and very tasty. At the $100 mark are there better single malts? Yes of course but for a blend is definitely one of the best I've had. Cheers