Laphroaig The 1815 Legacy Edition

This reminded me quite a bit of a tamer version of Laphroaig's Quarter Cask, maybe a bit of Lore and 10 thrown in for good measure. I wasn't a fan of the QC (was simply too woody for me), but this has its backbone with the features of 10 and Lore. It's a travel exclusive, and if you're a fan of the QC, this might be right up your alley. Personally, I'd buy the Lore, 10, 18 or Cairdeas series over this. But, given the choice of QC and this, I'd take this. Thanks to Richard@moderndrinking for the sample---it's not available in the US markets or airports, so I'm especially greatful for the experience.

This is a whisky of two halves -- specifically, Lore upfront and Quarter Cask on the finish. It starts off with lovely aromas of shellac and stewed fruits that continue into the same rich fruity flavors of the Lore, but then instead of the Lore's long coda of dates and figs you get the short, drying tannis of those little quarter casks. By coincidence, I tasted a sample of the Quarter Cask for the first time a day after opening the 1815, so I was immediately able to make the connection. My initial thought was that this is a similar recipe to the Lore but with younger Quarter Cask spirit replacing some of the former's older stock, but there's no mention of the smaller barrels in the marketing material. The flavor profile is also more disjointed than Lore and while a little water brings a considerable amount of focus to the taste, it's nevertheless the first bottle of Laphroaig I've bought that I wouldn't buy again. It's not a bad whisky, just completely redundant when you can buy Lore for the same price.

Smokey, peaty above the sweetness