Whisky-related things...

@ErikE, welcome to Connosr! We have a lot of fun here, and, with any luck, the site should be getting a major renovation quite soon.

Enjoy your whisk(e)y any way you like to. Most Connosr people drink it neat, or with a very little (couple of drops) of water in it. But you do what you like. Certainly the different seasons and circumstances call for different pleasures. Almost no one here will give you grief for liking a cold cocktail in the hot weather.

Most people on Connosr are mostly malt lovers, but there are quite a few decent blended Scotches which meet the 'on the sweet side...with a little bit of smokey hints' criteria. Islay Mist 8 yo, Johnnie Walker Double Black, Johnnie Walker Black, Clan MacGregor, Famous Grouse Gold Reserve 12 yo, Black Grouse, and many others could do the trick.

On the malt side, any Talisker should have the medium to medium-heavy smoke you are looking for...BUT, with a new bottle of Talisker you might not have the sweetness blossom until the bottle has been open a few months. Laphroaig Quarter Cask is usually quite sweet, but more than a little bit on the smokey. Highland Park 18 has a nice medium smoke in it, but that is another one which may need the bottle open for approaching 4 months before the full sweet-blossoming effect occurs. Sounds like Lagavulin 16 will be right up your alley, actually. That is my top recommendaion to you. There are many many choices...as others will also inform you.

Cheers!

@ErikE Sweetness and light peat make me think of Bowmore or Springbank

Consider Bowmore Laimrig. I'm savouring some right now. Has sweetness and PEAT

Springbank will be my recommendation.

...and Caol Ila...

To add...

Highland Park 12 yr, Benromach 10 yr, and the Ardmore Traditional Cask.

Thank you, everyone who has responded thus far! I really appreciate everyone giving me some great recommendations.

Cheers to all!

I suggest Connemara peatish Irish single malt. The NAS bottle is good value at $30-35.

@Erike If you are looking for a big unpeated smoke or burn, there is the Glenlivet Nadurra. Very very sweet with a big burned toffee.

Connosr helped me a lot when I was a whisky newbie. Not that I call myself a connosr now though. I still come here daily to hear everyone's experience with whisky. Welcome @EricE and be prepared to get great answers to your questions from your fellow Connosr's.

I can second some of the suggestions already made. Highland Park 12 and 18 and Benromach 10 are all not heavily Peated and on the sweet side. I've got a bottle of Benromach Origins batch 4, which was matured in Port Pipes. It's got the sweet notes of Port, together with a nice gentle peat style. It's one of my favorite open bottles now.

Sherried Bowmore is also a great suggestion. A little more peat, but nice and sweet.

And if you really like peat, @victor was right: go with the Lagavulin 16y.

Have fun choosing your next bottle! For me search is a big part of why I enjoy whisky.