Tasted this side by side with the beloved Talisker 10. Pleasantly surprised by this younger, cask strength variation. A shallow breath reveals a sweeter nose with toasted sugar sweetness and orchard fruits like apple and pear. But a deeper breath through the nostrils presented classic Talisker salty sea spray, mild camp smoke and pepper. The palate begins remarkably sweet, delivering on the aromatic promise of pears, apples, and honey. As the whiskey moves on the Talisker asserts itself with a raging spray of salty oceanside brine, dry and almost charred wood notes morph into a hot and peppery camp smoke. The finish is long, warming, and pops with one last dash of the orchard fruits before billowing up plumes of camp smoke and spicy black pepper drying out the palate. The whisky’s higher proof leaves a mild tingling sensation in the mouth which invites, nay, demands, a second sip - especially coupled with the drying black pepper abd smoke. A fantastic expression from one of my favorite distillers.