2oz pour Had an interesting experience with this one at a bar. For me, this was a pretty good dram. I’d buy a full bottle if I saw it for ~$150, but it’s nothing I’d hunt down or pay way over retail for. But the couple sitting beside me was curious, and the height of their whisky experience was Glenlivet 18 and Macallan 15. I let them smell, and they were mind blown, and ended buying their own glass. The hook of Japanese whisky, and why demand is so high, is there is stunning beauty on the nose, but the palate is soft and approachable. And the finish is gentle but lasting. It’s Geisha-esque. This particular dram had an intoxicatingly rich butterscotch vanilla cream essence that you could smell 6 feet away from the glass. Smoke is there to add support, but is almost unnoticeable. The palate is soft and juicy, and the juiciness continues into the finish, which is wonderfully fruity and not at all drying, unlike most Scotches. To the beginner malt drinker still singing praises for the Glenlivets and Macallans, Scotches don’t stand a chance. 91.5 / 100