Taster

Nose: Astoundingly smoky, yet delicate with subtle tarry notes behind. With water the smoke dies a little and raisin and caramelised apple notes emerge.

Palate: An immediate waft of peat smoke. Full, robustly flavoured with turf and lapsang souchong tea.

Finish: Salty, long and filled with fragrant peat reek.

Comment: A punch in the chops from a stroppy Islay middleweight. Flavour-packed yet delicate.

Score: 9

Taster

Nose: Tar-covered rope.

Palate: Tar-like. Medicinal. Seaweedy. Salty. Behind all of those dry flavours, a background of light, clean, fresh, maltiness and lemon skin fruitiness.

Finish: Sandy, peppery.

Comment: Not from a particularly peaty period, but packed with Ardbeg's other flavours. Wonderfully distinctive.

Score: 8.5