A particularly robust and chewy Islay single malt, made darker, even more brooding and sooty by a finish for 15 months in a Virgin Oak cask after a first maturation in a traditional refill hogshead. Peppery, very peated and tarry at the nose, it also has pleasantly oaky overtones. Charcoal, damp earth, and a vegetal note are the distinctive traits of this very stormy and autumnal whisky. At the palate, it’s again very spicy, and intensely smoky: bonfires, chimney ash, tar. The influence of the Virgin Oak does not translate into creamy sweetness: on the contrary, it accentuates the peaty notes. There is a touch of toasted pinewood, of forest vegetation, and a huge blast of liquorice root. Overall, it remains quite dry and lively, in spite of the overall tone veering towards the dark and meditative side. The finale is particularly peppery and salty, with a pleasant tannic presence.