I got a 50ml sample of this with my bottle of Ardbeg 10. Finally decided to break it open and give it a try. *Appearance: Straw colored with just a hint of orangish hue. A swirl yields a few fat slow moving legs. Seems thick and oily. *Nose: The peat presents as smoked meat. A little ash & soot. Savory. Just a hint of the magic marker note that dominates the 10 for me. A little time in the Glencairn and a light swirl rewards you with some fruit/sherry notes in the background. There is a creamy/buttery note as well. There is a definite alcohol sting from the cask proof. *Neat: Thick and Oily, Heavy and Chewy. You get heavy peat/soot and ash on the initial sip. Subsequent sips reveal flavors of vanilla, honey, apple, and sherry. Balanced. No one note dominates. Aggressive slightly sour finish with big, tingly peppery heat and menthol and ash coating the palate. This coating fades from menthol cigarette to cigar smoke. Splash: Doesn't change much at first, but eventually the sherry notes become a little bolder on the nose and palate. Reduces the stinging pepper a bit, as well as muting the menthol. Verdict: A slight step up from the 10, but I can't help thinking that maybe some of the younger whisky in here asserts itself just a tad too much. I definitely didn't think it was $20 better than the 10($75 vs $55). While I like the Ardbeg, I still find myself in the Laphroaig and Bruichladdich camps.