Tastes

The whisky may represent my single biggest disagreement with the Distiller ratings. 84 is a crime! This 18-year old whisky, matured entirely in oloroso sherry butts, is a spectacular example of the genre. Vanilla is immediately noticeable, along with the complexity typical of older sherry drams: figs, caramel, and rich, buttery sweetness that reminds me of cashews or a particularly creamy nut. Another great thing about older sherry-aged drams is that they develop a smokiness that doesn't come from peat, but makes for a lovely finish all the same. At $150 or so, this is an expensive bottle in the U.S., but it's a bargain compared to the $250 that Macallan 18 commands. It's a bargain in another significant way too. Because GlenDronach shut down entirely from 1996 to 2001, the current whiskies labeled "18" in fact contain whisky from right before 1996 (since none of the 2001 and later whisky is old enough yet). That makes this, in reality, a 21-year old whisky. Thus, this year and next may be the last change to grab this "special" Allardice that is in fact far more mature than its age statement suggests.

This was the distillery exclusive manager's cask available when we visited in late May 2018. Distilled on Feb. 12, 1993, and bottled on December 8, 2017, this 24-something GlenDronach is hands down the best sherried whisky I've ever tasted. At its cask strength of 53.6%, it is so thick that it feels more like a milkshake at times than a whisky, and its flavors lean in that ice cream shop direction as well. Vanilla, chocolate brownie, malt, cherry, caramel, and cream all take a share of the limelight. Two of the members of our tour group hand-filled bottles of this one at the end, and it was a treat just to watch them. At 250£, it was out of reach for us for this trip, but this will become the ideal against which I judge all future sherried whiskies.

This is the most floral Laphroaig that I've tried, which is odd given that it's apparently an 8-year old whisky drawn from first-fill Maker's Mark bourbon barrels. Where are these unusual notes coming from? Vanilla is expected, but I also get some Crunch bar (rice and chocolate), lavender, and pine. The palate is more conventional, medicinal Laphroaig, honey, peat, and creosote. Mild smoke, barley, oil and tar wrap up the show. This is another solid Cairdeas expression, and the floral notes on the nose make it a memorable one.

This review is for the 2015 version of Laphroaig 25 Cask Strength, which was bottled at 46.8%. Although a cask-strength expression, its long years of maturation ended up driving the ABV down pretty much to the standard, diluted alcohol content of most whiskies. The nose is defined by vanilla, caramel, guava, floral, and oak, with just hints of maritime brine. It's a complex and pleasant nose, albeit not the powerhouse notes one typically associates with Laphroaig. This is a gentle, mature dram whose smokiness is part of a chorus of flavors rather than a solo act. The palate demands attention on every sip, with unexpected flavors each time: oak, coffee, chocolate, peat smoke, and grapefruit. The texture is oily and thicker than one would expect at 46%. The finish has nutty components, like almond or macadamia, along with more oak, chilis, and peat smoke. At roughly $500 a bottle, it's not likely to find a spot on my shelf anytime soon, but it is a lovely and refined accomplishment.

This is the apple orchard strained into a glass: apple cider on the nose, applesauce dashed with cinnamon on the palate, and the lingering finish that adds the slight bitterness of apple skin. It's a forgettable experience, if not an unpleasant one.

A take-home dram from Oban's upstairs bar, which has 5-6 of the Flora & Fauna lineup. Diageo flavor maps place Dailuaine at the far end of the richness spectrum, even past Macallan and other whiskies aged exclusively in sherry butts. That's a pretty accurate description, this is a sherry bomb to the extreme, and perhaps that's why it has to be moderated by the influence of other whiskies in a blend. Medjool dates and cherries were the most distinct notes, so it's arguably lacking in complexity. Nonetheless, I'm surprised Diageo doesn't release this one more widely, as I could see people who love sherried whiskies enjoying this one. I can only imagine what a dessert it would taste like if bottled at cask strength.

We had a pour of this at the tasting bar upstairs at Oban Distillery, which has a pretty solid selection of Diageo's single malt lineup particularly their Flora & Fauna series. Strathmill is almost exclusively a blending component, and I can see why here. This is a solid malty base that will allow other whiskies to perform the starring role in a blend. Released as part of the Flora & Fauna line, this is a solid session dram but nothing more. The nose is a classic generic Highland nose of mild honey, oats, and moderate minerality. The palate is sweet, like skipping straight ahead to dessert and enjoying an apple pie and a glass of sherry.

Another Feis Ile 2018 sample dram picked up at Laphroaig's Filling Fair. The name of this travel retail exclusive means "the big ocean," and this dram kind of reminds me a piece of leather, toughened through successive soaks in seawater and dried out in the hot sun. The distinguishing finishing feature of this one is purportedly finishing in virgin European oak casks, but I'm not sure that they benefit the final product. Its nose features wax, oil, buttered rolls, and smoke. The palate is salty, perhaps too much so, with vegetal peat and dry, bitter vegetables like brussel sprouts cooked without oil. It ends on a dry coda of herbal peat, sour lemon, and bitter oak. A little too dry and bitter, rather than richly smoky, for my tastes. This is an expensive dram at $100 or more in airports and duty-free shops, and I think it's a pretty bad value considering the excellence of other Laphroaigs.

@Richard-ModernDrinking beat me to the first review of this one! We bought a bottle at Feis Ile 2018, which we then mostly finished on the rest of our road trip around the Highlands, including a particularly memorable experience enjoying a dram of it on a cruise of Loch Ness. My wife loved this one and described it as the best Laphroaig she's ever had. This one is an interesting, unique take on Laphroaig, and maybe the sweetest one I've encountered. I get oatmeal cookies on the nose, and my wife agreed with that but also noted that after a few minutes there is a strong and noticeable scent reminiscent of the barley we sampled on our tour of the distillery. The palate has some of that sweetness, more in honey realm at times, but subsequent sips get drier and smokier, with some lemongrass and cumin. The finish is black Chinese tea and spicy smoke. I agree with @Richard-ModernDrinking that this one bears more than a passing resemblance to 2014's Amontillado.

Feis Ile 2018 reflections. We picked up a few samples of this at Laphroaig’s filling fair on Open Day. What is the filling fair? Heaven on earth, for this Laphroaig fan. For 15 quid, we got a card that entitled us to 4 drams and 4 games in one of the outer buildings at the distillery. The drama on offer were impressive, including Laphroaig 25 and old and rare limited releases like Cask Strength Batch 001, old Cairdeas editions, and 12 and 14 year old single casks tapped especially for Feis Ile. The games also had prizes like Laphroaig merchandise and, you guessed it, more drams. The scents of this old Cairdeas, the first Feis Ile release, are kindling lit on a cold beach: bright, sharp woodsmoke, salt, and coastal stone. The palate is classically medicinal but acidic, with lemon and citrus notes that remind me of Ardbeg. The finish is dry and bitter, quite smoky and ashy, more like a Caol Ila. This is an interesting dram that I could easily have mistaken as a blend of these three distilleries, but it’s a fair bit too dry.