M&H Elements Peated

My fourth Milk & Honey, was the last in their core range, The Peated one. Was it really peaty? Is this going to be as good as the Red Wine Cask Finish; or as bad as the Sherry cask one? Let me tell you all about my thoughts on it. Bottled at 46%abv. Uncorking doesn't smell peaty. On the nose, cotton candy; Yeast and pepper. Yeast is overpowering and nice, just not peated. After a first sip a "peaty spice" has risen, nice, but still not enough peat for me. Prunes, a little swampy. The pepper tries to become ashes. Yeast again. On the palate, it is too light but way better than the sherried expression from this distillery. Salty water. Very dim but nice. Vanilla water. Light. Some herbal notes and salt. Sadly, aftertaste is once again the lowest scored part. Slightly peaty, actually earthy peaty, not smokey. Overall, this is a baby step into a peated malt from this distillery. It feels that they went too safe with this expression. It has a "peaty feeling", but not peat "per se". Nothing bad or undrinkable, just not memorable. They have to improve this one and the sherried one to match the amazingness of the Red wine cask one. My score for it is 70 over 100.

Opens up with a drop of water but loses all its layers with ice. Spicy, fruited honey and smokey peat are the most forward flavors. Very pleasant!

Honeyed peated nose. Vegetal peat with a spike in black pepper. Astringent finish.

On the nose there are notes of peat, caramel, and sweetness. The taste is pretty peaty up front with some spice and a short finish. Really not a whole lot going on, but not a bad drink.