This note is from distant memory, so take it with a grain of salt. I enjoyed a pour of this whiskey at a work function last summer, and recall thinking it was quite pricey at $28 a pour (which is a great price now that a bottle costs $400+). The world's gone a little insane for Japanese whiskies, perhaps in excess of what they deserve. They are every bit the equal of Scotch whiskies, but they're now priced at a tremendous premium (probably have to pay twice the price or more for comparable quality). I recall being impressed by the rich, honeyed malt character of this dram, along with its smooth and lingering finish. The Japanese whiskies are some of the best at capturing the core malty flavor at the heart of a 100% barley distillate. There's a bit of smoke here, but less than in a Johnnie Walker Black or a Talisker 10. I would not recommending adding water, as it seemed well composed, and I don't see a dip below 40% ABV being to its benefit. I'm somewhat amused to see that reviews of Japanese whiskies tend to impute flavors to the whiskey that are Asian in origin (e.g., ginger, five-spice). I'm not sure I get those myself, but the power of suggestion is a wonderful thing. I'll give this a 4 while giving minimal consideration to price, since I didn't end up covering the tab, but it's not a noticeable step up from lots of scotches in the $75-100 price range. Nikka Whisky from the Barrel, which remains easily accessible whenever in the UK or EU, is better regardless of price (and, at $40 for 500ml, I'd opt for it every time). Note: Apologies for any confusion caused by my earlier mistake of posting this to the Taketsuru 12.