The nose starts with a mix of heavy peat smoke, barnyard hay funk and butterscotch then chocolate covered raisins and toasted walnuts followed by rich fruits of orange creamsicle, figgy pudding and grilled peaches that transition to burning hay and light oak spice with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting very fruity with orchard fruit before a mixture of heavy peat smoke, barnyard hay funk and creamy butterscotch gelato then dark chocolate covered raisins and toasted walnuts followed by rich fruits of orange creamsicle, figgy pudding and grilled peaches that transition to burning hay and light oak spice with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate covered raisins, grape must, orange juice, burning hay, and light oak spice. For just 10 years old, this is a monster of a dram that manages to balance heavy peat smoke with fruity nutty notes coming from the sherry and bourbon casks, but there is a bit of a sour astringency likely due to its youth. This has a far creamier mouthfeel than you’d think from that 46% and I’d much rather drink this over an Ardbeg Wee Beastie, 10 or Kilchoman Machir Bay. Side by side with my Springbank 12 year batch 21, the youthful sour cracks are apparent in the Ballechin 10, but it puts up a hell of a fight against a Springbank that is older, higher proof and costs more. At around $75, I think this is a great buy for anyone that’s a fan of smoky peated drams and would likely be impressed.