The peat and smoke are there, but it's muted compared to the 10 year old or Quarter Cask. But that's not necessarily a bad thing! There's still a lot of flavor here: salty-seaweedy peat and mild smoke, oak sawdust, faint citrus and dried fruit (think raisins), sweeter than you might expect. Good stuff! The Distiller score rates the 10 year old higher, but as much as I enjoy a big, peaty slap in the face, I respectfully disagree with the Distiller's 96 for the 10 year old vs the 90 for the 18. The 18 has more depth and is richer than its younger sibling. jm2c :)