- Nose // holy smokes! Trying to get more on the nose, buts it’s proving difficult at the moment 😬 After a little while of allowing air to open it up a little, I may be getting some grass/hay? but that also could be the peat mixing in with whatever is trying to come out to my olfactory nerves... - Palate // smoke!! but not too much I can’t handle, just might need more time to appreciate the peat, am getting some caramel/vanilla in there - especially when I “chew” it. After awhile of swirling and “airing” I got more sweet notes before the smoke kicked in again - each sip got better and better so I may be able to come around to peated whisky. I am actually looking forward to revisiting with a second pour and adding a few drops of water to see what that brings too. - Finish // smoke, after taste of eating a burnt marshmallow Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to be able to handle a peated Islay, but maybe going into it with an open mind allowed me to appreciate it as much as I could. I wouldn’t say I hate it at all by any means, but it may take me a little bit to come around to that much peat. I am interested in how to navigate around the powerful smokiness in the nose and palate and find/pick apart the other notes. Any suggestions? This pour definitely reminds me of a campfire, and in a good way :)