Laphroaig 10 Year

Woody

Nose: fruity vanilla and pear that gives way to a salty medicinal note with some peat. Slight heather floral elements. Palate: ashy peaty smoke gives way to a slight honey. Smoked Seaweed and salt air. Theres some bitter citrus peel in here somewhere too. Finish: oak tanins and salinty bleed into a peaty phenolic lingering vibe on the tongue

The nose remimded me of Bowmore 12 which I liked. The palate was burnt ash and sweetness, not as cindery as Ardbeg. I kept looking for the medicinal factor but it didn't jump out at me. Adding a half teaspoon of water improved the finish for me, but neat works very well too. Not hard to drink after the first glass. If you've tasted moderate peat and smoke before this shouldn't scare you. Starting to really love it.

N:배, 사과, 플라스틱, 소독약, 아세톤, 유황. 첫 향에만 과실향이 있고 이후에는 은은한 단내와 지배적인 아세톤의 쿡 찌르는 노즈. P:의약품, 매캐함, 혀릉 톡톡 치는 새콤한 맛에서 오는 시트러시, 약간의 스파이시, 마실수록 짙어지는 단맛. 과일 껍질 맛. F:향기롭고 은은하게 퍼지는 피트와 과일향. 반건조된 배나 사과 껍데기에 레몬즙 뿌리고 플라스틱 연기에 가볍게 훈제하고 그걸 약품에 담근 듯한. 밸런스 좋고 맛있음

LAPHROAIG SHOWDOWN LAPHROAIG 10-YEAR LAPHROAIG CASK STRENGTH BATCH 013 LAPHROAIG CÀIDERAS 2019 TRIPLE WOOD CASK STRENGTH LAPHROAIG 15-YEAR 200TH ANNIVERSARY I sampled these over the course of three days. Day one was the 10-year and the Cask Strength; day two was the Càideras and the 15-year; and day three was all four of them together. I took preliminary notes on the first two days. On day three, I decided to rearrange the order, from sophisticated to more pugilistic—which happened to correspond to age in descending order, and ABV in ascending order. At any rate, on the third day I initially tasted them in this order, but then went back and forth between them all randomly. LAPHROAIG 15-YEAR 200TH ANNIVERSARY Brilliant amber color (Pantone 123). More sophisticated nose than the youthful and flamboyant Càirdeas: orange zest, porridge, capocollo, grilled asparagus, peach, baked apples. Later: cantaloupe (again). Mouthfeel not very viscous despite the 15-year age statement and wood contact. Palate is sweet with pear compote, vanilla, a little butterscotch, bacon, and honey. A touch of white pepper on the finish, with honey and dry leathery notes. The 15-year displays a muted Islay typicity; its characteristics are far less ostentatious than the other three. But that doesn’t mean its lackadaisical. Think of a bell curve: somewhat subtle on the nose (though still very complex), more robust on the palate, and then finishing elegantly. Think cozy cabin or wood-paneled library, fire in the fireplace, cold fall mist outside (Scotland or elsewhere), Mendelssohn’s Hebrides overture in the background. And this whisky, neat, with the bottle handy for a second pour. Pensive, contemplative, and refined. A quick Internet search shows that this expression can be found today for $500-$600 (it was a limited release). I think I paid around $100 a few years back, and I’m happy I did. Would I buy it again? No. I’m very glad that I did buy it at a far cheaper price, though. It’s wonderful, and I’m happy to be able to experience it (I’ve got a quarter of a bottle left). 4.5 on the Distiller scale (unchanged from my review on 8/12/22). 43% ABV. 15-year age statement. LAPHROAIG 10-YEAR Subtler amber color (Pantone 142). Kelp, saline, iodine, dank basement, and yes, burning peat. Terracotta pot (oddly like a note on some sangioveses), only this pot is of course soaked in seawater. Tire shop. Burning resin. And there are faint fruity elements: apple juice and overripe banana and cantaloupe. Peanut brittle (hadn’t gotten that before). On the palate, some of that melon sweetness returns, and continues on the finish, before being covered in ash. Laphroaig is an iconic Islay whisky and can be found for around $50. Would I buy it again? Yes. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 43% ABV. 10-year age statement. LAPHROAIG CASK STRENGTH BATCH 013 Slightly darker amber than the 10-Year (Pantone 143). How much room do we have for the litany of descriptors? Band-Aid. Engine Oil. Engine sludge. Sea-Breeze (the facial astringent) and sea breeze (the wind off the ocean). Propylene glycol (a.k.a. antifreeze). Nori. Wakame (i.e., kelp). Betadyne. Funk. Malted milk balls. Cocoa powder (especially immediately following the 10-Year). Alcohol unnoticeable on the nose. Oily and mouthcoating on the palate, with penetrating honey and candied ginger. Then the cask-strength alcohol, but held in check by everything else. Long finish: ash-coated smoky butterscotch. The Cask Strength is otherworldly. Not only does it have loads of complexity in terms of breadth, but the depth itself is deep. The bottle I own is the only LCS I’ve ever had. When I bought it, it was the only one that I’d seen in the wild. The Cask Strength can be found online for under $90. At that price, this may be the best value in the entire world of whisk(e)y. Would I buy this again? Yes. The nectar of Islay. 4.75 on the Distiller scale. 57.9% ABV. 10-year age statement. Batch 013. Bottled January 2021. LAPHROAIG CÀIRDEAS 2019 TRIPLE WOOD CASK STRENGTH Deep orange amber (Pantone 144). Peat smoke, ash, iodine, tangy barbecue sauce, wet cardboard box, tomato leaf, slightly overdone pancakes, carambola, concrete block, honeyed orange, a bit of caramel, and vanilla. On the palate: some light viscosity and sweetness, and 59.5% ABV makes a welcome appearance. Some honeyed sweetness on the finish, then white pepper, band-aid, iodine. Each expression of Laphroaig oozes complexity. Its Islay-ness terroir is far more evident than any Bordeaux or Burgundy; there’s no doubt whatsoever as to its birthplace. The Càirdeas adds another layer with the different cask finishes: bourbon, quarters, European oak, and Oloroso sherry. The quarter casks (I’m not aware of how much time the distillate is spent in them) in theory exposes more whisky to the wood, and somewhat obviates the lack of an age statement. I could nose this all night (I’d have to drink it too). It’s that good. The various releases can be found for $80-90. Would I buy it again? Yes. I rated it 4.0 on my last review (8/12/22). It’s better than that. 4.25 on the Distiller scale. 59.5% ABV. NAS. Non-chill filtered. These individual releases exhibit Laphroaig typicity, but are nevertheless distinctive. Each is a complex, thought-provoking whisky. What surprised me most about this Showdown was the fruitiness and gentle sweetness that I detected in each, which was modestly more than I’d recalled. Laphroaig’s descriptors are more than just “burning hospital.” Laphroaig’s special bottlings, like the Càirdeas, are more old-school and conservative than Ardbeg, for example, who are far more provocative with their oddball offerings. I appreciate their more traditional approach. While Laphroaig isn’t something I drink every day, I always want a few of their bottlings in my inventory. N.B.: All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.