Warning: My own interpretation often differs from experts online!
LAGAVULIN 16
This was, and remains, my benchmark for Islay. A minute in the glass gives me honey, oak, white peach, and touch of raspberry smells. The honey and oak comes through in flavor immediately, along with a strong sherry, quickly followed by the smoke. Hot on the heels of that is a medicinal undertone (which I guess is what reviewers mean when they say iodine, but I have never sipped iodine for fun or therapeutic effect, so idk). This melds with the smokiness and the Spanish sweetness, and all 3 of them resolve into a sweet oaky smokey (no muskogee) pretty quickly.
It's a fast ride compared to my last tasting of the Ardberg 10 which really stayed on the tongue and presented bolder flavors which I remember as more discretely defined or partitioned from one another, but its rapidity is exhilarating and challenges me to keep up, like that chick who was part jackrabbit. But unlike her its balance is amazing. Just when one thing grabs my attention, another says Psst, over here. And then another one is all "Hello, Sailor!" Mmm, and they vy for my attention.
So TLDR I say "Hello, Angels." And they smile and say, in perfect unison, "Hiiiii, Charlie!" I like that.
Thjs remains my recommendation for someone who wants to spring for a bottle of the good stuff. Downside: You won't be able to enjoy your usual stuff as much after comparing. Red pill caveats apply.
