Nose: Quite a gentle combination of fruity aromas (apples, peaches, pears) with a hint of vanilla and oak spice. Water releases sweet orange and fresh-milled barley grist. Fresh, soft and relaxing overall. Palate: Easy on the arrival with sweet cereal and citrus notes, it turns spicy in the development with a wave of cinnamon, nutmeg and a sprinkling of white pepper. It does not become sharp, but there is a soft tannic presence that turns bitter/sour towards the finish. The texture is nothing special. Adding water greatly improves the palate by developing sweetness and knitting everything together. It also brings out more spices - cloves, allspice and anise (but quite mild). Finish: Short. Dry malty notes when neat. With water the finish is more gradual (but still short) and the aftertaste is sweeter and creamy with a hint of citrus. The official tasting notes here are accurate, but I wouldn't score this whisky quite as highly. Initially I thought this was a pretty average malt with little of interest happening, but it improved over time, particularly with the addition of a teaspoon of water. Tasted from a 30ml sample. Until recently this was just under $100 here, but now it is around $135 and at that price it is outclassed by the competition and I would not recommend it. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)