My first taste of a peated whisky was a bottle of Lagavulin 16. I fondly recall a campfire vibe with layers of drying smoke and white ash, and not much else. That introduction to peat has spoiled me. To foreshadow my review, this is a Peat Monster in big letters to let you know it is singularly, The Monster. The Lagavulin 16 or Uigeadail are ravens in a gilded cage by comparison. The peat on this Monster is sulfuric and murky. A healthy 46% abv amplifies the effects as charcoal briquettes are literally melting away your taste buds. There is no equivalence to call, to balance out this spirit. No backbone of sherried fruit or seaside brine. Drop a dozen burning matches into a glass of weak honey lemon tea, and there you go. (That evokes hazy memories of unintentionally drinking out of near empty beer cans after somebody - probably myself - put out a cigarette butt into it.) The finish is a layer of liquid ashtray (thank you, @WhiskeyLonghorn for the vivid imagery) coating the tongue. Is this the peatiest Peat Monster I've slain? Unequivocally, yes. But after that experience, I regret having ever pursued that goal! I don't think I'll continue on with the bottle as is. Sherry bombs and honeyed malt scotches - to the rescue - are going to neutralize this potent abomination into a more palatable creature. UPDATE: Two weeks and many mixed concoctions afterwards, this has evolved with air. Pineapple or lemon Birthday pound cake with the lit match thrown in for good measure. Classic CB notes tethered to a sulfuric traffic cop. Bumping the score from 3.0 to 3.5.