I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was quite surprised. This is a very pleasant whisky, though incredibly fragile - I would not recommend adding water. The nose hits all the right notes , but not necessarily what you expect from American oak. Sure there's vanilla and the ever so faint touch of wood, but lemon and apple are also both present, making this fruity rather than floral. In these respects it could almost pass for a distant cousin of Jack Daniels. The palate is pleasant and quite smooth, though also flat and a little weak. The finish... It just isn't there. All in all a nice dram, especially for a novice.