Rating: 16/23 I'm throwing this into a prolonged Springbank comparison. I recall previously thinking that this was far inferior to Springbank, but I'm looking forward to trying it again. N: Kind of rich with a sweet but mature maltiness that lets dry grass, toasted grain, a bit of farmyard, and...that's about it come through at points. Faint herbal character in with the grass and farmyard, as well as some mellow, slightly funky wood. Faint apple cider as I bring this to my nose to drink. Mostly, this is a very restrained dram that comes across as easy drinking for those looking for a rich but not overpowering scotch with a bit of rustic funk. P: Very approachable. The alcohol gives it body without making it too challenging. Moderately rich and full with some nice suggestions of farmyard funk for those who want to spend time relaxing on a farm without getting their hands dirty. That flavor blends seamlessly into the wood, dry grass, and malt. Faint creme brulee at the beginning turns to faint apple cider in the middle. There's a little bit of a tart, waxy bite from the proof, but not a ton. All of these flavors do require some digging to bring out, but they balance beautifully, which makes this a nice one to drink on a fresh palate. F: Mellow wood, farmyard, a little sweet malt lingering. This is a bit more bitter and less enjoyable than the palate, but it's not problematically so. It is a very ho-hum finish though. - Conclusion - This is a lot better than I remembered it being. It isn't blowing my mind and it does take some concentration to assess, but nothing is off and it's very balanced and approachable. I find this to be at least competitive with Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2010 (16). This is more balanced than Loch Lomond 12 (16) and has less of an alcohol bite to it. I'd say that the two of them are pretty close, but I'd give the nod to this for being so composed. Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 (17) is also pretty close in quality to this, but I think that it's a bit better. That puts this at a 16 or 17. As much as I enjoy this, I don't think it actually earns a 17 though. Thanks for the sample @ctbeck11 . It's interesting to get a better idea of what other than Springbank Campbeltown can produce.