Nose: a heavy dose of oily smoke, peat, brine, seaweed, and iodine. It has a very medicinal/cough syrup nose. Palate: Exceptionally balanced. The mouthfeel is thick and oily. Smoke and peat are the prominent flavors on the palate, but brine and wood aren’t far behind. I get faint hints of coffee and toffee the longer I let it sit in my mouth. There’s also a note of sweet dark fruit, like plums or dates. Finish: Incredibly long. This stays with me for 10-15 minutes. The peaty and salty flavors remain, but the smoke flavors evolve here. I get more of a smoked pork/salmon flavor on the finish than just smoke outright. Some waxy/leathery flavors emerge as well. Wood notes fade away first. Overall: EXCEPTIONAL. I could write volumes about how good this Scotch is. The folks at Lagavulin love their work and it really shows here. I hate using the word “smooth” to describe a whiskey, but the extra time in the barrel (as compared to a 10 year) takes away any rough edges. I would actually recommend this as a first Islay to anyone who hasn’t tried one (it was my first). The lack of alcohol burn really enables you to enjoy the complex flavors Lag 16 has to offer. This is expensive, but it’s also readily available. I feel the $90 price is completely worth it and plan on keeping this as a stable in my home bar. It’s the ultimate expression of what whiskey is and should be.