Laphroaig 18 Year

Very smoky and flavorful. Tastes great.

(White tube version) 48% abv Non-chill filtered Color added Nose: rich and complex, with a potent but far from overpowering peat smoke of road tar, medicinal and martine notes. Other notes include floral; dark chocolate fudge; lime; vanilla; brine; damp oak wood; sweet dark fruits like plum and raisin. Also a hint of herbs like parsley along with baked goods...gingerbread, perhaps? So much happening here. Taste: full, sweet, savory and oily. Medium bodied. The peat smoke spice hits you first but quickly makes room for an explosion of other subtle notes. I seem to pick up something new each time.l, especially after leaving sit in the glass with a few drop of water in it. In no particular order: chili pepper; lime citrus; vanilla; cinnamon sugar; caramel; floral; fudge; toffee; sea salt; umami from a hint of seaweed and fish sauce; teriyaki bbq; nuttiness like hazelnut or almond; bitter herb. Finish: medium and buttery. A slight ashy peat lingers along with sweets like vanilla, red apple and raw honey, also dark chocolate espresso, almond, lime juice/salt like from the rim of a margarita glass, menthol, and a slight tartness which reminds me of pomegranate. Value: this is discontinued, so if you see it on a shelf it may be as little as $100 (buy immediately) otherwise prepare to spend hundreds on the secondary market. Final thoughts: What a whisky. This was a dynamite expression from Laphroaig, pure and simple. It’s complexity simply mesmerizes, and has a balance so integrated it makes this 48% malt drink like its a 40%. The signature peat smoke is there, but it’s part of the orchestra with this Laphroaig. The finish is a littler shorter than I’d want, but it’s such a minor ding that it was almost not worth even mentioning. It’s a damn shame this work of art is not still available, but I’ll say this: you only live once, so if you see this for even $200, pull the trigger. Score: 4.5/5 Highly recommend buying a bottle. (I’ve got a few green tube versions as well which I’ll compare to this in the near future.)

triple wood

Nez très légèrement tourbé, ce qui est étonnant pour un Laphroaig. C’est salin et un peu sur la poire aussi, peut-être même un peu de gâteau au beurre salé. En bouche, ça attaque franchement sur de la tourbe mais bien maîtrisée et fruitée, rien ne dépasse et tout s’enrobe bien, sur des arômes légers, très sympa mais difficiles à décrire, enrobés dans un sirop bien sucré. En finale, on retrouve cette même rondeur qui se révèle lentement derrière la tourbe, nous emmenant en voyage loin d’Islay. Très agréable whisky même s’il n’arrive pas jusqu’à mon top 5...