This Port Charlotte 10 year old has been conceived, distilled, matured & bottled on Islay alone. On the nose, the smoke is calmed by the marine, ozone character. Time has brought a balance, a harmony in the combination of oak, smoke & spirit. While the smoke is always discernible on the nose it is dry, earthy, peat-ash in its style & so allows the oak to come forward with waves of golden caramel, fudge, vanilla custard, hints of ginger, nutmeg & clove. There is citrus fruit, coaxed from the glass with a drop of water, gentle lemon meringue & clementine. Breathe deeply & the floral aromas of wild thyme, heather & sea pink bring you to this Atlantic coast. On the palate, there is a noticeable delicacy & softness in texture & style. Again, the balance of flavour is superb as the smoke wraps loosely around the sweetness drawn from deep within the oak. Coconut, vanilla custard, lemon honey combines with smoked oysters & sun-baked salty s&. The finish is sublime, smoky sure, but also the soft sweetness of fudge & malted barley, orange, mango & Banoffee pie hinting of the depth & quality of the oak. The many layers interchange on each sip. As the smoke comes & goes so too the notes of the spirit, ripe apple & apricot, beautifully intertwined with malt & oak sweetness & that typical Port Charlotte style dry smoke. Ageing for 10 years on the shores of Loch Indaal has had a profound effect on this spirit. Like sunshine on a winters day, this Port Charlotte 10 brings clarity & lightens the mood, welcoming & brightening the future.