I’m happy I waited a while before writing this review. The bottle on first opening was a mess, with no cohesive flavors or profile except sharp, bitter heat. Now, almost a year after opening, it seems to have settled down into a drink that resembles decent single malt, even if it doesn’t exemplify the standard. Nose is Ardbeg, but not obviously so. It’s missing the grassy hay notes I associate with the 10 year, but that’s okay because they are replaced with a nice meatiness. Think opening a pack of cold cut ham versus a slab of smoked pancetta. There’s also a whiff of bakery and sugar, like you’d get when popping the top off of a cake carrier. It’s not the most engaging, but it’s certainly not bad. Palate is still a bit scattered for me. When I take small sips, like i want to evaluate and pick apart the individual flavors, it feels thin and still a little hot and unrefined. There’s peat and iodine and rubber, which aren’t objectionable but quickly move to drying smoke and ash in a rather short finish. But when I take a large swig and swirl it around it displays a richness and depth that is quite nice. Cigar smoke, raw tobacco, and leather dominate, and the dry smoke is just a background taste that carries through to a medium-long, clean, finish. It’s not a bad drink in the least, but for just under $200 there are literally hundreds of others that are just as good or better, for much, much less. Try it if you can find it in a bar, but stick to the 10 year or Wee Beastie when you’re in the liquor store.