Pale gold natural color, viscous, a bit hazy - a beautiful indication it is non-chill-filtered (it actually says so on the bottle as well). Nose is delicate, something you would expect from a moderately-aged 12-year-old dram. Notes of black pepper, vanilla, cereal, with a touch of field flowers and just a touch of smoke on the back. On the first approach it does not strike as a super complex dram, although it makes a confident statement. Palate is delicate, with a good balance of sweet, salty and umami, with a touch of smoke on the back. After the first sip, I start sensing some citrus notes on the nose. Palate gains a bit more vanilla and caramel characteristics. Finish is long, with hints of oak, vanilla, and honey. After more than a few minutes with this dram I start to appreciate its complexity much more. Now some matchbox, hay, and even medicinal notes start to appear. It opens into a beautifully-balanced whisky with different dimensions of delicate awesomeness. A few drops of water in this 46% ABV dram makes it a bit more sweet, and the finish gets more floral, fresh fruit, and smoky notes. Water definitely helps here, but I wouldn’t add too much as its easy to drown this delicate dram. Overall, this is an excellent Campbeltown dram from the Glengyle distillery. It is well-crafted and nicely balanced, but I would probably not recommend this to a beginner. Enthusiast would really appreciate its complexity and character though, particularly if you take it slow. Well worth the $73.