*Score* 88 *Color* A very distinctive Golden yellow that offers implications of royalty. *Nose* Hits you with peat and slightly burns the nostrils. *Palate* Earthy, briny with a lemon twist and hints of honey and baked cereal. *Finish* Surprisingly long lasting from such a thin color, but still a tad short. Quickly fades into a thin smoky ash. *Notes* A little water tones down the initial burn, and opens a bit more complexity. Makes it a bit more like a campfire. I hate to say that the Ardbeg 10 is a bit of a letdown. I only say this after I’ve tried Ardbeg’s other expressions which set the bar so high. One key flaw is the 45 proof has a little too much alcohol burn. With the 10, I don’t pick up the complexity like I do with the other expressions. Overall, I would say the Ardbeg 10 is a very good scotch, better than most scotches, but lower when compared to other expressions in the Ardbeg family. Almost a victim of its own success. Basically, if you want to try an Ardbeg I would not suggest the 10.