Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Malt 46% Nose: malt grain, palm honey, caramel, golden raisins, candied violets, slight hint of ethanol, sandalwood, a whisper of peat, apples cooked in butter and brown sugar Palate: slightly oily and creamy as it coats the mouth. Very pretty and nuanced. Floral and sweet with quick impressions of sherry. Honey, raisins, plum sauce, butterscotch, funky flor notes of dry sherry like Manzanilla. The sweet golden nectar goes through a metamorphosis on the swallow. A burst of white pepper and ginger spice transforms the sweetness to drying oak and savory umami notes. Salted caramel, soy and fish sauce. The finish is very drying and long with continued notes of savory sauces and smokey char. This just checks all the boxes of a pretty and complex whiskey. In the current market of Japanese whiskey this tends to be on the more available side and well worth the pick up. Like a full course of Japanese cuisine, each plate compartmentalized and beautifully presented; this presents each distinct note with precision yet the integration of it all.... The art and alchemy of a master blender on full display.