Laphroaig 10. I've reviewed so many bottlings from this distillery, and somehow am just getting around to reviewing its staple product. The first peated whisky I had ever owned. Or tasted for that matter. And I absolutely hated it. I actually thought it was expired. Slowly, it grew on me. And the rest... Nose: Classic Laphroaig notes. Seaweed, sea salt, brine, iodine, and band-aid. Peat and campfire smoke. Black pepper and oak. Ash and charcoal, grapefruit and lemon citrus. Smoked meats, rib, and brisket. A bit of custard and vanilla sweetness, maybe even mint chocolate. Some of the classic Laphroaig chestnut note, though it disappears after about 10 minutes. But brine, smoke, peat, meat, oak, medicinal notes, and citrus dominate here. Very complex for 43% ABV. Palate: Campfire smoke, ash, charcoal, and peat take the forefront. Brine, salt, seaweed, iodine, and band-aid remain. Surprisingly, I'm getting strong fruit notes: the lemon is still there, but takes a back seat to apple, pear, peach, and apricot. Still getting the meat notes, as well as the vanilla. Some dark chocolate appears with time in the glass. The custard is gone, and it's a bit thinner than the nose let on. Still getting oak and black pepper, now with cinnamon. Very good. Finish: Medium-long. Heaps of charcoal, ash, smoke, and sea salt. Dark chocolate carries over, even stronger than on the palate. Then it's black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. The spice also presents as a red-pepper e chili here. Impressive finish, especially considering the proof. And there it is. The fact that I now enjoy this stuff, which I once considered undrinkable, is a landmark in my whisky journey. I've enjoyed this for years at this point, but this is the first time I've put those thoughts to pen and paper, if you will. This is one of my defaults at bars. It's very common, which means I've almost always got a top-notch pour available. This is one of the great flagship products in all of the whisky world. Worth the time of experienced peat heads and beginners alike. And it's easily one of the best VFM purchases one could make. Nothing but good things to say about this one. If you haven't tried it yet, and can handle a bit of peat, make buying this one a priority.