Nose: Unmistakably Ardbeg. Deep and rich peat, smoke, phenol, and ash. Ocean spray, lemon and orange oil, mint and wintergreen. Plums, ripe peaches, strawberries, banana chips... The pinot noir cask is really bringing an excellent deep character here. Black pepper, cumin, chili powder. Cocoa. Just got an image in my head of a chocolate-dipped frozen banana. Vanilla and icing, with a touch of dry oak. Smoked glazed ham. Letting it sit open for a while allows apple and apricot to develop. Some soft floral characteristics and come through. Maybe a touch of nutmeg in the background. Palate: Ash, bitter/sour oak, phenol, dark fruits, dark chocolate. Solid tannin. Earth, smoke - again, this is definitely Ardbeg, but there's a twist here. There's some excellent black pepper spice. Ground chipotle powder, cinnamon, ginger, banana. Tar, burnt rubber. Bacon. Tingling sensation. I'm also picking up on a bit of that smokey character you get from a good pinot noir. Medium-light mouthfeel, medium oil content. Finish: Ashy, earthy, tannic. Charred oak, burned sugar, vanilla, with a tingling sensation that follows the sip down. White and black pepper show up, and then a rush of minty chloraseptic. Bitter lemon, more tannin, leather, maduro tobacco, black olives, and iodine. Eventually transforming into a dry iodine and ash with pops of phenol, anise, mint, and citrus. Makes you want to keep sipping. Very long finish. Other notes: This is definitely not for everyone - though the nose is quite inviting, the palate presents differently than you might expect and gives you a whole ride. Definitely on the challenging side. But if you're willing to sit, give this your attention, and really go exploring, it's got a ton to offer. It grabs your attention and doesn't let go, and the finish makes you want to keep coming back.