Color: Caramel corn. Nose: Blackberries, currants, rose bushes, and a light medicinal smoke. Fruit-forward, peat understated. Palate: Chocolate and espresso at the fore, with dried fruits as you go. Some meatiness, as you find bacon with maybe a little maple. Once again, sweet sherry notes balance (i.e., mellow) the peat. Exactly my style, but just a little less oomph than I want. Finish: A bit more Islay smoke here. Sooty and savory, if not overly developed. This is where it most resembles the standard Laphroaig 10 Year. Diluted: Water actually seems to help you find more of the peat on the nose, with a nice marine character. Same to an extent on the palate, but it also plays up the berry sweetness in particular. Finish is a little more caramelly, and just a touch too juicy for my taste.