Nose: Light, sweet fragrant smoke - almost perfumed and very soft. You clearly detect cereal and malt aromas behind the peat and there is some fruit, vanilla, anise and honey as well. It's elegant and demure and completely unlike an Islay nose. Palate: Ultra-soft and crisply clean arrival, with some mild fruity notes, cereal and gentle, ashy smoke. Extremely mellow and rounded, smooth and restful. It's like taking a nap on a pile of fresh dry autumn leaves. It's not a complex palate and there is little development, but it's soothing and pleasant with good texture. Finish: Medium. Soft sweet smoke, naptha and a little brine in the aftertaste, which lingers and turns quite sweet. Tomintoul in very unusual raiment, which it wears with style. This is probably the most gentle, relaxed and non-threatening peated whisky you can find. It would be an ideal dram to give to a friend who you know prefers gentle whiskies but wants to try something peated for the first time. There is nothing at all challenging here, and that's the problem as well as the feature. If you're looking for something like Ardbeg, Laphroaig or Caol Ila then stay well clear because you will think this is thin, watery and flavourless. On the other hand if you do not normally enjoy highly peated whisky and are searching for that profile in it's friendliest form, then here is your dram, and it is very reasonably priced. I thought this was pleasant but the question is: would I buy a bottle? The answer is, probably not. Although I liked the sample I tasted, I just can't see myself ever reaching for this. When it comes to peated whisky I don't necessarily want my socks blown off every time, but I do pour those drams in expectation of something assertive, and that's not what this is all about. Then again, I just polished off the tasting sample without even thinking about it and I'm smacking my lips with enjoyment, so who knows? Tasted from a 30ml sampler "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)