The funny thing is that this is one of the first 3-4 bottles of whisky I ever bought, but back at the time (maybe 4 or 5 years ago), I didn't really even know how to appreciate what I had on my hands. I just bought a sample to jog my memory and give this another try. On the nose I get fruitcake, so right away the sherry makes its presence known, as well as the peat. This peat is more of engine oil or diesel, however, not as much smoke. It also has a distinct, fortified wine character. The palate is a nice contrast with Ardbeg 10: more richness, less citrus. Oily texture and strong sherry notes again, along with a healthy shake of salt and pepper. Similar to the nose, the raspberry and fortified wine sweetness finds its counterpoint in a rough, heated peat. There is some detectable youthfulness in this scotch. As it dries on the tongue, oily, savory peat, bark, oak, and salt are the first flavors to arrive. It continues to stewed fruits, which is unsurprising given the strong sherry influence in the first two stages. The longest lingering notes are mint and a distinct aftertaste of cigar smoke, which is an interesting transformation from the less smoky peat that I tasted before. I tried this one side by side with Dark Cove, and liked Dark Cove slightly better because it had more savory notes, more honey, and more chocolate -- but this bottle is a better value at $80 in most liquor stores.