Lagavulin 16-year-old

Soft sweet prunes in front, stewed fruit (plum), hint of Irish cream liqueur, wafting cinnamon oil, sour cherry compote, creamy maltness, some kind of wild sweet-scented plant or bush, vanillic peat, evident sherry note, plus accidental whiff of clay. There's a lively, zesty-warm element too, that zings gaily in the whole ensemble of flavours. Quite complex yet subtle nose this, with carefully intermingled scents and an ever-changing essence. It dries out a bit, transforming into grist and malted barley, wood chips, sapwood, appley yeast, vanillin/custard powder. A tad vinegary then, vegetation, confect (hah!), lemon curd, a drop of lime juice. But the lightness, tenderness?.. almost too soft for Lagavulin. Yep, untypically.

Instant sweet arrival, treacle toffee, oily, sooty, peat-smoke, citrussy nip of an orange, bitter grapefruit, orange peel, then herbaceous, astringent, drying and acidic, referring to sour grapes, sour apple, avocado?, sour guava pulp, lime fruit, salty lemon twist. Coffee bitterness (espresso?) and dark chocolate pervade at last, having briny citric acidity in tow.

Thick, intensely rich peat, turfy, woody dryness, really interesting drying effect, accompanied by citric acid, marine saltiness, zest/rind, lemon pith, pistachio nuts, salted peanuts, acrid tobacco, dry leaf/herb. Rather long, steadfast, lasting aftertaste, which certainly lingers for long.