Laphroaig Lore

I really miss the 18. However this does a nice job trying to replace it. Absolutely delicious. It’s rich toasty and briney. I love this one!

This whisky is currently an enigma to me but I haven’t made it to the shoulder quite yet. The nose starts out very much like traditional Laphroaig 10. Youngish peat, briney iodine, sherry fruit notes and baking spices. Once it rests in the glass, vanilla, apple, pear and cardamom start to waif out. The palate is almost like a Smokey bourbon instead of typical scotch. The peat is there but seemingly young for a typical Islay. Closer to Ardbeg Wee Beasty which is only aged 5 years. The vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove come through somewhat muting the sherry fruity influence. It truly is as though the liquid is having an identity crisis. Is it a smokey bourbon or scotch?! The finish is long but again, just a little young for the peat. Tart green apple and sherry finally show up on the finish with a hint of pepper added in. Hoping the bottle improves as it depletes and figures out what it is! Of course, this may be what I’m looking for on those evenings when I can’t make a decision between scotch or bourbon!

Rich, smoky and sweet. Best neat, as adding water just, well, watered it down. Went head-to-head versus Ardbeg Uigeadail, and won neat but was beat out with water.