Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength (Batch 12)

Open 14 months Nose - Burnt brisket ends, smoked malt, honeysuckle, light brine, ocean scented air freshener, cigar smoke, wet campfire ash, and medium ethanol. Palate - Charred oak chips, light honey, light butterscotch, toasted white bread, sea salt, and white pepper. Finish is long but incredibly ashy. This is where I heavily deduct the score. It is dry, spicy with loads of black pepper and smoke, grainy, piney, and lacking sweetness. I think this batch is a significant downgrade from Batch 011. While that was incredibly well-balanced between the peat, brine, spice, and sweet notes, this is really, really ashy on the back end. If not for that finish I'd rate it higher, but it drowns everything out and makes this a one glass and move on type of Scotch.

Nose: Earthy, coastal, smoky, malt and copper. Palate: Earthy, coastal, smoky, malty and metallic with some caramel and dried fruit. Finish: Long -> Sweet and smoky coastal.

Nose: Sweet peat, honey, vanilla, stewed fruits, baking spices, hints of briny salt and iodine. Stewed fruits has apples, pears, apricots and red bearies. Compared to batch 11, the floral and fruity scent is more pronounce due to the subdued iodine, and salt brine. Palate: Rich, peat smoke, saltwater, with malts. Sweet honey, vanilla, with stewed fruits. Long finish with baking spices vanilla, honey, leather, sweet tobacco, licorice and cardamom. Final Thoughts: Tasted this against batch 11 and prefer this slightly over batch 11. Both are wonderfully complex, but this batch seems a bit more balanced. Each sip reminds me of roasting marshmallows (semi-burnt), on a seaside beach, over a hickory wood campfire.