Arguably the most approachable of the heavily peated Islay malts. On the nose the smoke is not aggressive and feels more like burnt heather other than peat and creosote. Not deep under the smoke is lemon oil forward cologne and some dried apricot. On the tongue, the smoke is more prominent in the form of smoked string cheese. A drop or two of water really helps open up the aroma, but I don’t notice any difference between the tastings, which is quite disappointing. Not a bad whisky at all by any means, mass-appealing and easy to drink, but if you want to feel the greatness Islay has to offer, skip this and go straight to Lagavulin 16.