Laphroaig Lore

I could wax poetic about this whisky but others have . Amazing, when you see it get it.

Nose: Smoke, seaside minerals, vanilla Palate: Ash, fudge, butter chocolate, peat Finish: Vanilla, peat, chilli Better than Laphroaig 10 but not as tasty as Quarter Cask 7/10

Well, the game wasn't the outcome I was looking for, and the haters will still hate (this team has had to deal with a lot of BS talk about being pretenders), but I think it was pretty clear that my Eagles were the best team in the NFC this year, hands down, and that it's also pretty clear they missed being the best team in the NFL by a margin of 3 points. I actually don't think there's been a football season in recent memory where the NFC and AFC were this evenly matched. And although I'm a little bit heartbroken, I'm going to take a moment before I touch on whisky to extend my congratulations to Andy Reid and the Chiefs. Hard fought game. You guys showed true grit. Now I don't mean to gloat here now, but I drank some really good whisky tonight. Highland Park Cask Strength, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Templeton 10 Year Single Barrel, and Laphroaig Lore. I started with the Lore and now I'm ending with the Lore. I started to give my team good luck, hoping for good luck, because the bottle was green and black and white, and I stared with it because it was my best whisky, at least on paper. But paper is never that great because on paper the Eagles defense should have eaten the red and white alive. Paper doesn't always tell you the truth. But the Lore is the Truth. There was obviously a lot of care put into this whisky even if it doesn't bear an age statement, the smoke is prominent but subtle, not overpowering. The trace of ozone that I noted on Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 015 is present in the background as is the ocean spray plus a touch of the sweetness from the sherry cask single malt that's in the mix here. Every aroma here is well balanced on the nose, and the balance continues on the palate. The sherry is mixed with the peat on the palate, such that it reminds me of the Sherry Finished 10 Year or the Talisker DE in many ways. Again, the word that comes to mind is subtle. It's Laphroaig, but it's the most tender version of Laphroaig, like the lullaby version of Laphroaig. Perhaps, what I mean, is that this is the easiest Laphroaig to drink that I've had. It's much better than the 10 Year Sherry Cask. Less complex than the Cask Strength 015 but also a lot less assaulting on the senses. I'd take this over Warehouse 1, and the only thing that really competes is the PX Pedro Ximinez Cairdeas. So, I end the evening with my family in bed, my mom and dad and sister and brother-in-law and sister-in-law having left, alone. Football season is over. I'm taking my wife to a BYOB Wednesday to celebrate Valentine's Day where we'll have a bottle of Sancerre Blanc, and then, because football season is over, it'll be time to go sober-whatever for a month until St. Patty's when I plan to open Blue Spot. Got to let the liver recover a little bit, as we all need to let our livers do from time-to-time. Again, I salute the Chiefs, but I've still got a lot of love for my Eagles. You brought us to the brink. You just couldn't get us to the top of the mountain. I love you anyway.

First whiff is full of classic Laphroaig bandaid iodine peat, but as soon as I go back for it, my nose has acclimated to it or it's just receded way into the background. Now it's orange, grapefruit with vanilla cream, pear, berry, saltwater damp driftwood, dark chocolate, jalapeño and smoked bacon, charcoal. The peat lingers in the background. The palate is vanilla, dark fruit and ashy peat, tobacco, dark chocolate, slight chili spice, cinnamon. Interestingly, where I wasn’t finding it with the glass full, the empty glass now smells strongly of bandaid again. This is a really enjoyable whisky.

N: Citrus, red fruit, earthy peat, heather, grass, fresh flowers, orchard notes. Surprisingly lacking is the expected Laphroaig medicinal notes. The softest Laphroaig nose I can recall having. P: Red fruit, caramel, vanilla, toffee, rich bread, orange citrus, pear, vanilla custard bread pudding made with dark rye bread and dusted with cinnamon, butterscotch, some faint coffee notes and bitterness, smoked nuts and veggies come in after a while in the glass. Rich and decadent mouthfeel. F: Bread, some mineral notes, oak, cinnamon, dash of heat (feels oaky), faint hint of that medicinal note you expect (finally), more cinnamon mixed with other baking spices (cardamom, coriander, anise), some tannins on the side of the tongue, a gentle and fragrant peat smoke coming in far later. This doesn't exactly adhere to what you expect from Laphroaig, but it is damn lovely. Rich, decadent, and delicious. Possibly the best NAS single malt I've tried. I would certainly repeat this and am already thinking it would make a lovely gift for other peated scotch lovers. I do wish this traded a little closer to $100, but I'm not upset that I paid a little more than that either. If you find a good price, totally worth grabbing a bottle or two. ____________ Please come join an unofficial Distiller community on Discord (now one whole year old!): https://discord.gg/VSmCvzAQfH. We chat spirits (and other things) in real time while being a great resource to each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired (it shouldn't be), please post a comment and I will gladly provide a new one.)