I will preface this by saying I am not a scotch connoisseur... The bottles on my shelf are usually cheap, but picked for quality and specific flavor profiles. Monkey Shoulder fills the niche of a wonderfully light grain spirit with just enough aging to take the edge off its youthfulness. But it doesn't lose the young, fruity, lightly musty/grainy aroma and taste. It may not be especially complex or smokey like other scotches, but it is a highly enjoyable whisky what plays well on it's own or in a mixed drink.