The nose has quite a bit of spicy barrel, a lot like a bourbon. It smells like I.W. Harper 15, not at all like a malt whiskey. The palate is quite tart with some nice rich spice that doesn't have an overwhelming harshness and brings just the right amount of soft tannin numbingness. It has that I.W. Harper 15 sawdust flavor a bit, but this tastes more refined with some extra layers giving it additional complexity. There's not much sweetness here, but the mouthfeel is moderate. It has some nice vanilla too. It definitely isn't as strong and rich as I.W. Harper 15, but it's a bit better balanced with more nuance. The similarity in flavor between these two is quite remarkable. I get a little malt from this right after drinking I.W. Harper 15, but not a ton. This isn't excellent whiskey and it is certainly confusing, but it is quite good - better than I.W. Harper 15. This isn't excellent, but it's a bit surprising in a moderately interesting way. I like it better than most Japanese whiskey, though I do think it's largely a gimmick. It's kind of like I.W. Harper 15 mixed with Compass Box Spice Tree. Thoroughly sippable to the point of definitely being enjoyable, but not excellent.