The nose is Moscato. Drinking it, it tastes like a watered down version of Bushmill's 21. There is plenty of sweetness with a rich backing of toffee and orange mixed with apple cider. It's not on the same level as Bushmill's 21, but it is actually quite good. The depth could be greater, but the flavor is mostly solid. For the price, this is a great choice. This is a good, cheap Irish whiskey, but it is most certainly not on the same level as Glenmorangie The Original. Compared with Glenfiddich 12, the flavor has a stronger alcohol kick and less creaminess. The Glenfiddich has a come in-sync concert of flavors, even if none of them are exceptional. The Bushmill's flavors are not bad though; the punchy fruit is enjoyable and the finish is nice. I would sip this, but it wouldn't be my first choice. The odd taste aside, this drink is rich, sweet, viscous, and highlighted by orange and a tiny bit of yeast. This is quite like an American Single Malt, but I wish that bitter taste were replaced by a bit more depth. The flavor is young with an unappealing bitter backing behind the nice orange, malt, and cinnamon sweetness. For the price, it's a good drink, but I would rather drink something better. The obvious non-Bushmill's comparison is Glenmorangie The Original. Glenmorangie has some more complexity, but a stronger alcohol presence. Overall, the Glenmorangie has a better flavor, landing slightly in the enjoyable-to-drink category. This is perhaps a little creamier. The good Bushmill's flavors are in there, but the bad bitter backing and young finish hold it back a lot. The flavor is richer and has a cleaner finish (somehow :( ) than Green Spot does. That allusion to apricot and the smokey flavor are what make this drinkable. Otherwise, it is bitter with an alcohol flavor. It has more problems than Green Spot does, though it is also more robust. There are some nice flavors here, but it is far more biting than Green Spot and is even farther from Bushmill's 21. It's barely sippable. That bitter alcohol backing is too much to overcome. There are bits of licorice that are interesting but also add to the bitterness. Imagining it as licorice makes it a lot more palatable though. This gets bumped up to a 13 upon the realization that the bitterness is kind of licorice. Otherwise, this is a tough sell, despite some of the beautiful flavors it contains. This smells more floral, less rich, and more like alcohol than Bushmill's 21 does. The flavor is far less full and is weighted more toward the alcohol and arbitrary spices, though the floral notes do show up and gradually drag in some unexciting fruit. The Bushmill's 21 far outshines this. 10x the price though? Questionable for sure. It would be interesting to try aging this awhile - maybe some time in a mason jar with oak cubes is all it needs. As it stands, there's just too much here that tastes off. This has a big flavor of richness with that Irish whiskey oiliness that is so unappealing, but also vanilla and apricot and honey and spice. There's a lot of potential here, but it needs more time in the barrel. 12-13 seems reasonable. On a bad day, it could be 11. It isn't quite as good as Dalwhinnie 15.