What I love about this whiskey is that it doesn't try to be a Yamazaki single malt. I tend to associate the Yamazaki varieties with flavors and smells of autumn - bold, aged overripe fruits combined with oak and spices frequently enjoyed during that time of year. Not the Hibiki 17. The Hibiki is distinctly from another season altogether. Honey. Flowers. A younger, lighter, greener fruit and wood. Please don't consider this distinction to be a detriment. The flavors are orchestrated evenly and gracefully so that the overall experience is as enriching and enjoyable as a walk through a blossoming orchard on a late April afternoon.