This smells less sweetly meaty than the 8.1 does. It smells smoky and peaty, but also clean. There is some meatiness to the nose, but it is less salty too. There's a hint of portobello rounding out the nose. The palate is surprisingly refreshing with some mint and floral notes mixed with some fruit. Of course, it has tons of peat and a huge helping of smoke. This has more smoke and less meat than the 8.1. There's some nice toasted wood in here too that brings in some bit of toffee with almonds. The complexity is solid, but not dramatic. I like how it executes the flavors that it has with clean finishes and a bit of sweetness rather than excessive bitterness. The balance actually turns out to be surpsingly good. There are plenty of herbal notes that are hard to place, but they go well with the mild lemon flavor. It has flavors across the board and deserves credit for its balance. It's easy enough to drink straight, but adding water helps to mellow it a bit. More herbal flavor and bandages come out, but they don't overwhelm and it actually does balance quite well, leaving a rich creamy finish. Hints of raisin even appear on the finish, blending well with the chocolate. It has spices of clove and cinnamon that make a good pairing. It's a bit too much like Laphroaig, but it's otherwise very complex and balanced. This is a great whiskey.