The good reviews and a year-end sale pushed me to finally buy a bottle of this. I’m glad I did as it’s a really satisfying dram that strikes a well-tuned balance between sherry and peat. It starts with stewed fruits and a smoldering fire, the peat presenting on the nose as more smokey and less medicinal than the standard bottling. Tangy fig jam flavors and hints of tea sit alongside a peat that feels more gentle than I’d expect from a young Laphroaig, though the finish is distinctly ashy. If you usually like this kind of combination, then you can’t go wrong here. I tried it alongside an Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry sample from @PBMichiganWolverine and while the latter was more complex and delivered more in terms of mouthfeel, the Laphroaig won out for simple drinking pleasure. And sometimes that’s all you need.