FEW Single Malt Triple Smoke

I appreciate the inventiveness and the expressions of terroir found in various American smoked whiskies. While not every one appeals to me, I'm always open to trying something new. Few Single Malt Triple Smoke seems to be exclusively available in the UK at present, but I managed to obtain a sample with a recent order from The Whisky Exchange. The description states that the Triple Smoke is, "Made with barley smoked with cherry wood, mesquite wood and apple wood, this is a rich and oily American spirit with a distinctive smoky twang. Expect notes of apricot, apple, salty barbecue, toasted sugar and pastry, with a long savoury, smoky finish." The most prominent characteristic for me was the "smoky twang," which I found to be unique, though I recognized it from another whiskey. It took me a moment to remember where – Fifty Stone Highland-Style Single Malt Whiskey. Fifty Stone is a distillery in Maine that smokes seaweed to dry its barley. The outcome is an unusual smoky note that slightly resembles burnt toast. In the Fifty Stone, it's accompanied by considerable saltiness and a very pleasant malt base. The combination is superb. However, the Few tastes thinner, despite having a 1.5% higher ABV. Ultimately, there's very little that complements or supports the peculiar smoky note. I don't believe a burnt toast note works well as a solo element; it needs to be part of a robust ensemble to have any chance of success. I admire Few's creativity with this expression, and others might find the Triple Smoke more appealing. For me, though, it's a skip.