There's a tendency to think that we're all very unique in our preferences, but think about it -- the only way you could really know that, is if you were to already have all of data of what many other people's preferences are. Do we really already know?

I study food, fragrance, software and other types of product preferences. In the studies I've done, often people's very subjective preferences (or so we assume) turn out to be highly clustered into just one or two clusters of highly similarly-preferenced people. Sometimes when you'd assume there would be total disagreement, there's actually total preference agreement.

I would put a Lagavulin as smokier than a Laphroig, but they are both fantastic whiskeys, and I need to do a lot more testing.

It is a little subjective. I've always thought Ardbeg has a smokier taste than Laphroig, but a fellow whisky-enthusiast friend of mine thinks the complete opposite.

edit: on the post. Very curious to see your thoughts on Talisker and whether it fits the profile the results gave it.

Bruichladdich(sp) Octomore is the smokiest in MHO. Ardbeg makes some fine smoky spirits too. Laphroig is close, but no cigar.

IMO Laphroaig (why is everyone leaving out the "a"?) is smoky but many are smokier. What Laphroaig brings to the table for me is it's extreme "medical" and "salty" taste.