The top one of the three "Explorer's Club Collection" from Johnnie Walker, and by far the most expensive one. It is the "blue label" of the "explorers club collection" in every sense, its elegant, expensive and doesn't live to the expectation. I have the three Explorer's Club Collection Bottles, (i believe there is a fourth one, equivalent to red label, i didn't buy that one, it just seems it is going to be awful). Previously to this one i have had the "brown" boxed one, called "the spice road", which is a beautiful whisky. Well, The Royal Route, is bottled at 40%abv, with a rare mahogany color, and i say rare because it is mahogany but also transparent, i dont know how to describe this, you need to see it to know. Overall the bottle is pretty straightforward, no complexity at all, inusual since it should contain very old whiskies in it (at least for the price). On the nose, Stinky Peat and tobacco. That's it. Not Bad, nothing special either. On the palate is delicious. Elegant, made for fancy people (lol) but it is still a blend, that means they are not going to take any risk, they need to sell something everybody will like, not thinking in us, the "wannabe connoisseurs" who want experiences in whisky, not fancyness or marketing. caramel, vanilla, cinammon, and spices, are the palate notes, very smooth, elegant, very easy to drink, toffee, pleasant hotness, ginger, Tobacco ash, medium bodied, finish is full of spices, medium also. I was saving this bottle for a very special event, but yesterday i was in a party and the host opened one. I couldn't resist the temptation to taste it (i actually drank 4 glasses, neat). It is a lovely Whisky, but as i have said before, it takes no risks, it is not that appealing to you, my fellow Whisky Critics. 80 out of 100. Slaintè!