When my brother bought me a bottle of this for an upcoming woods trip, he described it as “peaty” and, I believe, “challenging.” I didn’t expect to like it (and I admit that first taste was staggering), but Laphroaig has grown on me. I don’t know if it’s the imagery the brand evokes or the memories of the freezing, rain-soaked trip on which I first tasted it, but this stuff makes me think of cold weather and warm conversations with friends around a campfire.