** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. This was our planned first stop when the doors swung open at Whiskyfest. As a group, @Generously_Paul, @Telex and I determined we needed to hit a few tables not offering peated whisky first, so we wouldn’t strain our palates right out of the starting gate. A 35yo OP sounded like a smart place to begin. A lot of other people had similar thinking and there was a line by the time we found the OP table. The pour was decent in size, but we just couldn’t let it sit long enough to open up IMO. Telex and Paul both noticed some soapy residue throughout the entire sip but it didn’t register with me so much. There was plenty of salt and sea spray notes, but it surprised me by how harsh the finish was. I was expecting it to be butter smooth, but it was anything but. I guess age doesn’t calm salt- it just gets saltier, lol. This was a good dram, but I ultimately felt let down- mostly because I have a bottle of this I paid over $600 for. It isn’t worth that based on flavor so I guess the age statement will have to be flashy enough to help it hold its value. Fingers crossed for that. Or I may end up saying “F-it” and opening it to give it a real opportunity to impress me. Who knows.