Nep Rex.
Laphroaig is an acquired taste, probably acquired only because it is the only whisky available to drink. I prefer Speyside whiskies. There are lots to choose from.
A good malt should have nothing added except water. The notion that it should be served separately is fanciful.
A good whisky-drinking friend of mine in rural Aberdeenshire, when offering his guests a dram, will enquire first what they will take with it. If it is soda (or - horrors - lemonade, a very low class mix), the offer will be a cooking whisky, like Grouse or Bell's. If it is water, they'll be given a malt.
It's just after 1630 on a Sunday. Time for a light dram.