Nose: Neat this is big, bold and assertive with sooty smoke against a dominating background of dense sweet oak. Sherry, tarred ropes, pine resin, fried walnuts, citrus peel, leather, cloves and strong tobacco all stand out clearly and there is a slight trace of vanilla and the usual Laphroaig licorice. However most of these aromas are submerged beneath a mountain of oak. With water a strong aroma of sawdust or pencil shavings emerges and the assertiveness of the nose is tamed, however it does lose a little character. Palate: Tasted neat it's a sledgehammer arrival of great complexity. Sweet cigar-smoke, kalamata olives in brine and olive oil, bitter dark chocolate, blackstrap molasses, licorice and black pepper. There is a complex and immense phenolic aspect to the palate which in combination with all the oak tannin produces a bitter herbal quality. With the addition of water the palate becomes considerably sweeter and more interesting with layered waxy lemon, fruity notes and many new oily nuances unleashed. The texture becomes creamier and more pleasing. While dilution is debatable as regards the nose, in the case of the palate I'd say it is mandatory. Finish: Very long. Smoke, phenols, vegemite and brine. The aftertaste is slightly salty and a little sour - it actually tastes like freshly cut peat moss and oak tannin. Adding water softens the finish considerably but does not damage it. Some sweetness is set free to balance the herbal bitterness, which is most welcome. By the way, the information on the Distiller listing for this is incorrect - it is 59.5% abv, not 51.4%. This is not a subtle whisky. It has all the nuance and expression of a runaway steam locomotive, and it smells like one too - at least one pulling several dozen carloads of fresh resinous timber. I'd also wager that the constituents of this are mostly quite young. It has none of the finesse of really old Laphroaig and it benefits notably from dilution (apart from the nose, which loses definition). While this is much more intense and spectacular than the regular Triple Wood I wouldn't want to drink it every day, or pay the going rate here of $275 a bottle. It's a side-show intended to stun and amaze, not a quiet evening's conversation. However I'd be fascinated to taste this again if they put it into a good refill bourbon cask and let it sit for another 10 years. I think it would then be something truly special. Many thanks to @Soba45 and @PBMichiganWolverine for the opportunity to taste this highly expressive whisky as a 30 ml sample. Also, as it's my last review of 2019 I'd like to extend my best wishes to everyone in the community for a happy, safe and prosperous 2020. May the force of whisky be with you, always. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)