SRS... I, personally, do not care much for the smokey ones. Heavily peated Scotch just...um... tastes 'polluted'. I prefer brands like Highland Park and such because the variables in taste are not distracted by smoke flavor.
(Talisker is a different thing... it has, I believe, some peat, but whatever it is they do to it beyond that just hits me right....on occasion)

*shrug*.. I don't like beer with fruit flavors added, either.....though it's not exactly the same situation.

Some Scotches are 'delicate' and a lighter flavor,(and I consider Aberlour a fairly light type...good, but not strong) while some have stronger essences from being aged in different wine barrels...etc. I like whisky with 'character', rather than just tasting 'good'.

IF there is somewhere near that does tastings of different types, you can learn your own preferences without the expense of buying many big bottles that don't suit you.

As to blended brands, they are usually an attempt to produced a 'smoother' drink to appeal to a wider crowd which may not even care about nuances.
There are a few blends (like Famous Grouse) which are a bit above the average.