Tastes

Nose is sweet, caramelized brown sugar, some fruit notes, cinnamon? Almost gingerbread; but not quite. The palette is bold and full of sweet fruit, caramel, vanilla, some nuttiness. Nice finish with pepper and lingering warmth.

My beloved Laphroaig 10 without chill filtration or dilution. This is so close to perfect from the nose through the finish - if you love peat, smoke, umami, brine, dried seaweed, pears, apple, a medicinal note... an outstanding expression of an outstanding Islay scotch. I’m not giving it a five because I need to leave room for something better.

Delicious peat, earth, dried fruit, almost like dehydrated apricot and raisins. Dying campfire smoke and sea air. A little more youth and sharper peat than in the 16, but equally well integrated and a tad fruitier.

Smoked seaweed, cigar notes, dark fruit, sweeter than expected, great oily mouthfeel for such a young Islay.