Tried it first neat but then added a generous amount of water (0.25oz on my 1oz pour, so ends up at ~40%ABV) and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Color: Light amber. Develops legs but they're fast.

Nose: The smoke can be smelt from far away. Slightly sweet and you can tell it's high ABV. With water the smoke on the nose mellows a bit and you can really get in there. Citrus notes show up, as well as caramel and dulce de leche. A bit of wood on the nose too.

Mouthfeel: light, not too silky.

Taste: Bitter entrance. Smoke felt more on the back of the tongue. Woody. With water it is less bitter, still smoky on the back end. Spicy on the tip of the tongue. Dulce de leche.

Finish: More wood and smoke. The smoke lingers for a while. A light floral aftertaste too.

A good bottle, and I particularly enjoyed it better when adding water.

I know the task is to do a fresh tasting, so I write this with a dram poured. However, I have not yet forgotten my first taste of Quarter Cask. It was last fall and I was doing my best to sample as many regions and brands as my funds would allow.

From the moment I popped the cork I knew that I was dealing with a different animal than I had ever experienced. This was my first Islay. The nose, even waving the bottle across my face, was overwhelming but not off putting. The sensation was never quite as strong or shocking as that first time. What I remember most is the interaction of nose and taste as I purposely inhaled while sipping, and the nose of the glencairn the next morning. The only thing that has come close is a dram of Ardbeg Corryvreckan that I had in a bar. My bottle of Quarter Cask is now nearly empty, and I wonder if the next bottle will be as powerful upon first opening.

Now for this current dram. The nose is still powerful. I'm not confident enough to distinguish between peat and smoke- but I think both are there in spades. I get a great sensation when inhaling with my mouth open, shoving nose and mouth as far into the glass as possible. Medicinal notes, especially in the latter phase of the inhalation. Taste for me is all about the smoke- I like to hold the Laphroaig on my tongue longer than with other whiskies, and I find the finish longer than with most other whiskies. As time passes, nosing reveals added sweetness. I've added a few drops of water now, and believe I can smell vanilla now (perhaps the scent of artificial vanilla extract rather than the real thing). I want to try to describe the smoke flavour, but am not confident I'll get it right. Perhaps it is more like a freshly extinguished camp fire than an ash tray or a roaring fire. I've been nosing and tasting for 25 min or so, and sweet vanilla is becoming more prominent. (But I know the smoke will ultimately win the battle when I return to the empty glass for a sniff in the morning.)

Smells of smoke and sweet stuff. An initial strong taste of sweet/medicinal smoke and ashes that peaks into a rich sweetness. The taste of ashes lingers on the tongue for a long time.

Skip the Laphroaig 10 and grab the QC. It's worth the extra money for the taste and bump in abv.