Tastes

I feel like the color got noticibly browner since the last time I opened this. 🤔 Might be time to get some nitrogen cannisters Nose: opens with classic Laphroaig peat smoke, as you acclimate, the dank dusty sherry notes come through. Cherry and red wine come through here too, maybe blackberry/blackcurrant? Woody oak comes through as well with a drying sensation. A nice pleasant floral sweetness too. Getting a hint of maple syrup? As I've drank through some, vanilla starts to present a bit. Palate: relatively chewy/thick. Still getting a strong amount of smoke and peat phenols here, this is still strongly a Laphroaig. Earthy, smoky, and with nice potent salinity. I feel like my memory here tells me this used to be lighter/brighter on the palate. Getting a nice amount of sherry influence here, but less than the nose. mildly sweet, definitely dark stewed fruit notes here. Maybe a bit of plum? A hint of blackberry? I am seeing more of the quarter cask's stronger and astringent wood notes here now that I've tried that. Finish: mildly tannic wood, classic rubber/phenolic Laphroaig finish notes are there, but feels slightly less than, say, the 10. There is also some longering fruit sweetness

Nose: sweet with vanilla and cinnamon, some mild sweet wood, and caramel corn. Palate: smooth, with a tinge of heat. Brown sugar, caramel, big vanilla, and cinnamon. Sweet but not as sticky sweet as some Bourbons get. Mild floral elements here too. Finish: drying with a gentle warmth and vanilla/oak mellowness. Very slight phenolic note

Brown Strauss Select: 2-2-0-4-2 Nose: brown sugar, cherry. Baking spices and a little chocolate Palate: its nice and thick here, sweet dark sugar/molasses, sweet, rich, and dark wood notes, moderate tanins. Caramel and vanilla, vanilla is not as strong here as youd expect. A tiny bit of chocolate, some mild nuttiness. Baking spices. Finish: warming, cinnamon?, Long and a little oily

Nose: fruity. Hard to get something conclusive in this cup. My palate is also shot cause this is a party lol. Caramel, plum, weirdly getting a malt note. Palate: brandy notes coming through here well, a bit of rye spice. A little syrupy. Finish: a little woody

N.b. having as a dessert, so my palate is thoroughly run through after one tequila drink and one mezcal drink. But @ $12 for what looks like a double this is worth. Nose: vanilla, cherry, oak, very subtle smoke. Maple syrup. Mild salinity. After having real dessert, the peat comes out way more on the nose. Palate: Lusciously smooth. Sweeter than other islay whiskies but still has a present peat, smoke, and mild salinity. This is a gentle Islay but still clearly Islay. Malt sweetness is there too. Finish: gentle, mildly phenolic. Slight wood tanin. This tastes like a scotch mixed with hints of bourbon notes. Beautiful.

Killed the bottle tonight. Nose: bright lively fruitiness, there's like a light caramel apple note (not heavy caramel). A bit of citrus/orange. A hint of cinnamon, molasses. Im getting sherry-esque notes even though its purely ex-bourbon.... Palate: smooth, fruity and sweet. A tiny bit of woody sharpness. Berries and cream, banana a tiny bit. Honey. Finish: a bit light and drying. Mildly Woody. A bit thin.

Nose: vanilla, smoke, slight salinity. Hard to get a nose out of a rocks glass. Musty Peat comes in here too. Palate: beautiful, immediate punch of peat, opens up into some floral elements and a nice salinity. Vanilla and oakiness. A bit of crystaline brown sugar. A bit of dark ripe fruit, a brightness and citrus comes through too. As you sit with it the floral notes come out way more. Finish: phenolic, medicinal, a bit of wood.

Nose: fresh oak, smoke, char, a bit of fruit, vanilla, cream. Palate: sweet, smoky, peppery, oak. Leather and tobacco. Adding water brings out the smoothness and sweetness more. Finish: drying, oak, phenols.

Nose: fruity, dark fruit notes, coffee, peat and smoke all well rounded here. After smelling this, the vanilla comes out in the nose of the 10. Adding water brings out way more chocolate and coffee. Palate: a little bit of heat. Dark malt chewiness, prune, earthy peat and sherry. Heavier. Leather. Some definite smoked meat. Adding a few drops of water brings out the fruit and chocolate here way more too, with a nice peaty/smokey/phenolic backing, a bit of seaweed. Finish: pepper. Wood. Some phenols. Adding water brings out vegetal notes here.

Nose: a tiny bit more fruit and sweetness, a bit of cream, mixed with campfire smoke. Palate: chocolate, fruit, sherry earthiness. Peat and smoked ham. Finish: wood dryness, earthiness and phenols.