I started out with Batch 12 of Laphroaig 10 cask strength, so this should be an interesting contrast hopefully. Nose: iodine and phenols with a bit of smoke and peat. As many have said, very reminiscent of bandages and hospitals. Taste: Similar to the nose but with an underlying hint of sweetness. Perhaps the most surprising thing here is not only does this follow the nose almost to the letter, it's shockingly smooth with little burn. This is in serious contrast with the cask strength variant, which took immense quantities of water to make drinkable. While the mouth feel is a bit thinner compared to the cask strength variant, the whisky is much easier to drink. I didn't need to add any water to this one. Finish: some smoke, peat, and medicine. This is a whisky that is pretty honest with what it delivers. Overall, I think I prefer this to the cask strength variant I tried. While the other one was certainly more briney (which I like), it was a serious challenge to bring it to heel. I'll consider picking up cask strength again next year, but this variant definitely seems more intentionally balanced. It speaks to the quality here more than anything. While I've had Islays I think are more interesting or complex than this one, I do think for 50 dollars, you're going to be hard pressed to beat this in terms of value for money. The only other alternative at this cost is really Ardbeg 10.