So I have a longrow 10 on the way so I grabbed this to do a side by side, but instead of waiting for that to review this. Instead I'm going to compare haezlburn 10, springbank 10 and the longrow NAS. All costing 70-90 US today depending on when your store got them in. Normally avoid but color. The longrow might be lighter than the hazelburn but they're both about as pale as it gets, while the springbank 10 has some actual color. Nose - Longrow - new make notes are coming off with that just slight note of something off the still. I get a bit of vanilla, pear, smoke, earthy elements, and overall it's a relatively clean but youthful coastal peaty whisky. Forgettable. Hazleburn 10 - I honestly get vanilla and some kind of fruity and barely funky note I could say is springbank only because this is in my glass. Bread and perhaps marzipan (Not even fully sure I know that smell) are here with a slight fruity element. Springbank 10 - OK first off this is the most smokey whisky here and it's not close. After I get past the smoke the sherry elements coming in big time, good dark fruits, and wine elements. It's cleaner and perhaps missing some of the earthy notes of the longrow, the actual peat note. A very nice all be it not overly aromatic nose. Taste - Longrow - Once again new make and off the still elements come in. It's a bit sour and has some unripe and odd young and acidic peat notes. Then there is this nice very salty and earthy, dirty malt that's bringing that classic springbank under baked cookie (shout out malted man cave) and fresh breads. It's bold, it's full of flavor, but it's got off notes. Hazelburn - So on the first taste what really stands out is that there are multiple distinct layers that I'll need to address individually, already a sign of a more mature and complex whisky. The arrival is funky, sour, bitter and somewhat off putting. The arrivial is followed by the springbank malt and if there isn't some sherry casking here, there's something about this bringing with it a lot of fruity malt esters. Nothing over the top but enough to add a depth and complexity. Finally, the finish brings some nice oak tannins and mixes them with some coastal salts and a bit of a vinegar meets springbank funk. Springbank 10 - The opening brings that sherry note but then I get a touch of sour milk, transitioning to rich smoke, and then smoked oak and sweet malt. The finish on the springbank is by far the longest with it coating the mouth in a way none of the others do. Please note I have a full review on springbank 10 and I might update it. OK so this was supposed to be super easy but I'm a bit unsure on ranking right now. OK so I have my ranking. 1. Springbank 10. Why? Well the nose is the best of the bunch bringing in some sherry elements and with that smoke. The flavor profile doesn't at all stages top the hazelburn, which is surprising to me, but that smokey finish and the springbank malt character comes out the best on the finish. 2. Hazelburn 10 Why? Shockingly nice nose for this range of whiskies, sweet, pleasant, and incredibly inviting but not bringing me back. My memory of this one was always a fairly simple whisky but the finish is really impressive for a 10 year whisky and the depth is great here. 3. Longrow NAS - When people say Heavily peated...well remember peat is NOT smoke. It's that earthy element that often is accompanied by smoke. My favorite peated whiskies are the more smoke forward and this longrow is much more earth forward. The longrow is an intense pour but lacking in layers or depth. This being the longrow review - I'm a bit disappointed here. Oh I'm getting mint now, should add that. It's a good peated whisky vs many of the other younger expressions. It really brings out some nice springbank character but it's just missing something. I hope to review this with the 10 once I get it. Anyway I think this is a 1.5 and I'm debating 1.75. It's a good whisky in the 70 range but as these are getting upto the 90 price point it's getting into a so so value range. The nose is really where I'm starting to struggle with going higher, I don't really enjoy the nose but I can't say it's bad. It's what you often get with these younger whiskies where earthy notes dominate and they don't get the time with the cask to have another element.