I rated this a 4/5 here but, as a caveat, I'm a huge lover of peated Islay scotch. For those who are less interested in being overwhelmed with peat, this one is practically perfect. Every stage of drinking this scotch is complex. The nose first presents rich, dark fruits and sherry and shortbread cookies, but after a few breaths a creamy vanilla wafts up. The palate is well-rounded, with faint background tones of peat and smoke, mild spiciness, and tart citrus fruits, with a richness or creaminess that binds all flavors together. The finish seems to mutate from sip to sip, with the fruit sometimes expressing itself with smoke, sometimes mint, sometimes with a touch of grassy or herbal bitterness. The final notes return to fragrant ash or smoke, like the memory of a cigar smoked an hour or two earlier.