Tastes

God damn this opened up after a month! Lackluster Beam product at first... Little Book grew up into a soft and dreamy hazelnut stud.

This is like the little brother of the Ardbeg 10, that is, what I imagine Ardbeg might taste like if it were released young. The nose is coal-smoked golden delicious apples. The palate follows with crisp and grilled apples, grilled with herbs spices: oregano, salt, pepper, and vietnamese cinnamon, and a burnt pecanwood closing tone. The finish is a lingering charred wood and burnt sugar under a blanket of warm pepper sauce. After a bit of air time, the oiliness of the texture increases, the edges of the spice and charred wood are smoothed out and better coalesced with the herb, spice, malt, and smoke.

Maybe this lacks finesse, but isn't that the whole point? This may not deserve a 5-star, BUT it definitely does not deserve the trash review it has to date! The scotch is impressive in nose, big time ash tray, and the taste to follow is an Islay oil fire, scorching the shore, as the nearby metal music festival patrons destroy nearby houses and the local rick-house to drink the stuff and add the wooden pieces to the massive shoreline bonfire.