Talisker 10

To me, among pleated scotches “on a budget” nothing beats Ardbeg 10. I just got Talisker 10 and while it is a very descent scotch, I would not rate it as high as Ardbeg. I like the pepperish bite of Talisker on the finish, and I think it will get even better after some oxidation, but it also has a bit too much of maltiness to my liking. So if you haven’t tried the Ardbeg yet, get that first, otherwise get the Talisker as a tasting project. What I’ve learned so far is that longer maturation has a “side effect” of adding sweetness to any scotch. While for many people this is a desirable quality, I find it that sometimes I crave for something more on a dry and salty side. Like beef jerky vs dry raisins using snack analogy. Ardbeg 10 is that beef jerky of scotches IMO. Age it a bit longer and more sweetness will kick-in, while smokiness would fade away. The bottom line, maturation is not everything and 10 year old is sometimes more desirable than 18 year old, depending on what you are craving for. Apologies for mixed thoughts, didn’t have time to arrange better. 

@Andyvans ok