It's been quite some time since I've had the standard Talisker 10 year, and although this sounds pretty different from that one, I was really just feeling very seafaring and needed to add something else like that to my collection. However, after reading into it, I'm very excited about the de-charred and re-charred barrels. The bottle is really beautiful, and contrasts very well with the deep color of the whisky itself. The smell starts strong with the smoke, but peat and honey enter the picture quickly afterwards. The proof is slightly higher than most Scotches, but the ethanol does hit my nose more than what I would have expected. The taste starts strong, but begins in the gums as a burn before the smoke and peat round out the remainder on the tongue. I expected to taste more salt or brine, and although it's there, it's not enough to make me envision a storm or the ocean. It does taste like a much peatier Scotch, say Ardbeg, got mellowed out by aging in a rickhouse near the shore. I'm assuming this is aged less than the 10 year version, so I can see how "storm" is a good descriptor, but it's also not different enough to justify the price. The taste is good, especially if you want a bit of a heavier Scotch, but I don't get any other sea notes that I was hoping to find here.