​ The nose of this whisky is a little unexpected. I was expecting a strong dose of the famous Islay peat. Instead I got floral heather mixed with brine and some alcohol phenols. Letting it sit in the glass for a while toned down the alcohol and finally brought out the peaty smoke and some light honey-like notes. Really wonderful. On the palate it's really fairly simple: smoky honey sweetness. But this simplicity is extremely well balanced. There are some faint spice notes, but that's about it. The finish of this dram may be its best feature: it's long, warm, and smoky. Peaty smoke rises up through the sinuses as the sweetness fades and the warmth settles into the belly. For whatever reason, this dram warmed me more than other whiskies with much higher ABV. I could absolutely picture myself sitting in front of a roaring fire on a cold winter night with a glass of this and never feeling cold! This is an excellent whisky that balances the sweetness of the highland and speyside malts with the peaty smoke of Islay. If you have never tried an Islay malt because you were leery of the peat, this is the one to try. You will not be disappointed. 3.75. Cheers!