Talisker - Storm | Single Malt Scotch Whisky

NOSE: Rich and unexpectedly honeyed initially. Then some pleasing singed oaky notes and bandagey aromas. Now bonfire smoke comes through. There even seems to be some milk chocolate and appley fruit lurking in the rear. Everything in place; all very promising.
TASTE: Medium-full, the usual Diageo polished mouthfeel, with initial honey and then a very decent dose of hot smoke. The oak is there too, with vanilla and some (actually quite polite) peppery spices. The young whisky component is well-masked and the whole is rather more restrained in terms of mouthfeel than I expected, but the flavour intensity is, in my opinion, unarguably greater than the standard Talisker 10, which to be honest I have found surprisingly tame of late. Gets sweeter towards the death as the pepper lingers, counterpointed with unexpected sweet fruit and even a note of strawberry liquorice which somehow works very well.
FINISH: Woody and spicy without becoming bitter. Good length. Sweetness returns at the death.
OVERALL: As a NAS malt, perhaps this isn't one for the purists - but as a good-quality drinking whisky in its price range, it probably deserves to be.