Visual: Light amber/gold color. Medium legs that take their time sliding into the glass. Nose: Pretty closed at first, yielding little but some faint apple juice. Given a few minutes, a fruitier, almost Juicy Fruit gum note comes through, along with some vanilla, and a faint earthiness. Even more time brings out some tropical aromas such as pineapple and coconut, although these are subtle. The nose of this Emerald Isle offering is a regular Tuan mac Cairill, a mythical Irish shapeshifter. Palate: Sweet and very grain forward. Honey and cereal, with a dash of hay. The palate does not bring as many wonders as the nose, but it is smooth and drinkable. On the back of the tongue, just before the finish, a slight spiciness asserts itself. Finish: The finish is relatively long and warming – with the warmth expected from the 46% ABV. The finish is slightly bitter in the way hops make an IPA bitter – not unpleasant if you’re into that. Empty glass: Oak. Locally, this can be had for well under $30 USD for 750 mL. This is a very serviceable dram for that price, so it is impossible for me not to figure that into the equation when giving this a four-star rating. There certainly are whiskeys for more money that are less satisfying.