N.V. Ardbeg 10 yo 46% (Islay)

Nose 24/25 oily, slapped-on-all-over-with-a-trowel-peat that leaves nothing uncoated. A lovely salty tang gives an extra tweak; taste 24/25 amazing, grassy, salivating sweetness of the malt on one level; lip-smacking, chewy, gently oiled peat on another; soft traces of cocoa where they meet; finish 23/25 more moderate, thoughtful spices than of old, with a gentle fruitiness in the ascendancy as the fade begins, massaged, of course, by the most subtle of smoke; balance and overall complexity 23/25 close your eyes and enjoy. 94 points