So full disclosure had 3 pours this weekend, including one today (vacation), but I don't have it in my glass as I write it. I'd never otherwise do this but multiple glasses, with or without water, and multiple pours...I think I can judge this fairly but maybe not my best review notes. Nose - So it's a fruity bomb that's unreal and has no real comp up front. It's this rich fruity sherry driven dessert bomb that transitions to mint (spearmint) and tobacco with oak smoke and spice. Taste - This comes in with a punch of unreal sweetness. It's this dark and deep fruity profile powered by waxy oils and muted vanilla. It's like a kid's candy at first and while it's unique....it isn't mind blowing yet. Then the whisky transitions to oak, spices, tobacco, mint...much like the nose really. The oak is flawless in this tannic touch with sweet oaks and flawless balance. It actually took me 45 minutes with a half dram before I fully accepted that mint was distinct and not an influence of tobacco notes. This has so much more going on, but these were the high lights. Overall - This is a standout unicorn vs the roughly 20 Lagavulin special releases I've had. I generally don't review these as I have most of these over at my friend mike's where we DO review some of these on his channel, often together, so I don't review these here, but I have a pretty sold experience with these, far more than I deserve. This and the 24 year 1991, 2015 release...which we have a review coming, are the two EPIC standouts that we've had. There are a few other stand outs but they don't leap out. So price? Well I don't want to get too into the prices paid by my friend but 1100-1800 USD is kinda the range this one is going for with better deals in the US and far worse for our UK friends. well let me rant a second.... So is this worth over a 1,000 dollars? Well....do you want a unique flavor you can't get anywhere else? If you do then this is the price of entry. That said the market says kinda yes and no. It's many years old and still on shelves but it's dwindling as lovers of this bottle are buying it up, and I'm sure for YEARS it will be on auctions as weirdo's buy whisky like an investment....that's kinda cool as it means we can get bottles down the road but it also means people just buy stuff so real buyers can't? Anyway is this better than some lag's for less? Maybe, but there's nothing else they have done that's ANYTHING like this at least in the last 5-10 years that I've had. So if you want this crazy fruity dessert lag profile, get this one. It's the ONLY choice you have. So score? Well, my 5 star isn't a PERFECT whisky, it's just an insanely high standard for the best of the best of the best I've had. It's a 5 star bottle. This is truly an epic dram, one you'll never forget.