Christmas in a bottle! Custard, dried plums with sherry nuttiness, and the classic Macallan citrus and very mild smoke. As expected for an older whisky, there is a decent amount of oak/tannins on the finish, but the bitterness and mild smoke is nicely balanced by the sweetness. This, along with the 12, were indeed the gateway to Scotch. However, the cost has priced most out, as it has doubled since my first tasting.