Ardbeg 10 Year

A smokey flavor but not as intense as the Laphroaig 10yr. It's nose is softer with more of a hint of smoke and the flavor is at first sweet and salty with the smokey taste finishing it off and lingering in the mouth.

When I opened this I had the sinking feeling that an affair had begun that would greatly offend my Talisker. But once on the palate and beyond the nose, these two are very similar in smoke level and sweet malt but not much else. Early wood smoke at first crack of the bottle persists throughout the glass (yes, I drink glasses, not drams). Distiller is quite right to recommend this to me on a day when I would rather curl by the fire and read Tolkien than anything else. A fine fire malt. Beyond the smoke, I catch honey, green pears, lemon and peat. The spirit is a bit oily for my liking but I can compromise for all else I get with it. Finish is slightly spicy.