I feel like people hate on this merely because its price and popularity make it a low hanging target. For the price I think this is a fine scotch. On the nose - mostly smoke, with a bit of grass, apricot, and sweet cereal. On the tongue - sweet caramel, a bit of spice. I found it much smoother than it's reputation. It's a nice mix of smoky and sweet. I would never buy it myself unless I found myself in a bad financial situation and needing a drink, but I don't think it deserves its bad rep.