Talisker 8 Year (2021 Special Release)

Sometimes we take a risk... Nose - young spirit without any doubt. Vanilla, peat, butter scotch, raw malt, a HINT of talisker spice but barely any. Overall, new make forward with a good bit of peat, but without any off putting elements at all. It's a clean new make in the sense that we don't have issues. Maybe a very narrow cut to off set some of these issues? Taste - See the nose for a lot of the flavor. However, we get with it a rich viscous mouth feel. Mouth coaching and creamy. Tootsie roll vanilla with butter scotch. Good salt levels and yes hints with water of the talisker spice and with water you START to get a BIT of talisker fruity malt elements. Ultimately, the value in this is the creamy mouthfeel and the bold flavor. Is it more peated than most talisker? Honestly, I'd have to compare this with something else at CS but I get more salt than modern talisker but peat? Smoke? Honestly, it's just more salty and rich. Maybe the alcohol is killing out the peat? I'm torn on where to score this. A part of me objectively thinks this much still young malt is a bad thing. I however don't dislike it, it's actually making me think of a good Lagavulin 12 weirdly enough. Not as royalty peated but the level of vanilla and mix of still without it being offensive or even slightly off putting. Overall, It's good whisky, it's bold, it's rich, it's full flavor, it's HUGE bodied....but it's 120 bucks. And I've not sold myself on this for 120. 2.25 on this one. You might talk me into a higher score. Let me know your thoughts. As for a buy? I really wish this was 80, but I also am thinking about Lag 12 which I think is a buy for 120 all day. I'm torn...so if you're digging these notes, get it. If you have any questions, I'd just pass.