This doesn't immediately hit me with that combination of balance, richness, and complexity that is characteristic of Bladnoch 15. It has some elements of I.W. Harper 15, Westward, Balcones American Single Malt, and Glenfiddich 14 - and they aren't wholly good elements. It has a richer, woodier version of the Harper cardboard flavor, with less vanilla. From Westward, it takes that young malt flavor, which is exacerbated when combined with the dryness and tartness of Balcones. Similarly, that dank malt flavor of Glenfiddich 14 comes in. On the long long finish, there's a pretty nice woody vanilla that isn't too heavy. Although the comparisons are not terribly flattering, I do like this scotch quite a bit. It just isn't on first taste the instant classic that the brand and price suggest. Some dryness comes from the red wine. It's fairly rich and fruity with some viscous mouthfeel and sweetness, but it isn't as delicious or complex as the Adela or Talia. It's interesting though and well-executed with a nice proof and rounded flavor. It's definitely richer than Oban Little Bay, though the sweetness of the Little Bay is appealing and it is not without complexity of its own. I'd call this a substantial improvement over Oban Little Bay, but not a tremendous improvement. There's some aged wood on the nose along with maltiness and some fruit from the wine that is like Oban Little Bay. There's a hint of spice (cinnamon on the nose too). It has that malty flavor mixed with some fruity sweetness from the wine. It's rich and tasty with a swirly malty flavor, but it never really settles on any flavor in particular. Plenty of vanilla comes out in the richness too, but there isn't a lot of sea spray or anything like that. There's a little smokiness that provides a nice balance, but doesn't overwhelm at all. It's more subdued than Westward, with more elements to it, it seems like Westward just picked a flavor and went for it (young though it may be) and this kind of messed up a beautiful 15 year old Scotch. It's very good, but I really expected better. The fruit is a bit strong and the other flavors don't bring in the complexities that I want them to. I guess it's comparable to Westward in terms of quality. It's too expensive for what it is, but I like to remember how good Bladnoch 15 Adela is when drinking it.