Color is natural light gold, medium to low viscosity, non-chill filtered. Nose is delicate, not very complex, with vanilla, raisins, oak, and some barley on the back. Palate is full and balanced, with hints of honey, raisins, vanilla, oak, caramel, and some citrus notes. Finish is not short, but not too long either, with pleasant buttery vanilla, oak, and ripe fruit notes. Subsequent nosing reveals some floral notes, and palate becomes more caramel and fruit-based. Nose becomes more complex as well, and the influence of sherry becomes very pronounced. It’s quite mature and complex for a 12-year-old, and like its 18-year-old cousin, it does change its character as time passes by. A few drops of water in this 43% ABV dram do very little for it. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend adding it, it changed the balance for the worse. Overall, this is a very nice 12-year-old dram that has plenty of complexity. It’s greatly enjoyable, particularly by those who like sherry cask-matured whisky. Well worth its $54 price.