ContemplativeFox
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
July 25, 2021 (edited July 26, 2021)
Rating: 17/23
This is a younger Laphroaig expression than the 10 is, but it has been aged in a smaller cask and bottled at a higher proof. I expect it to be bolder, but less complex.
N: Peat and smoke, but sweet and maritime. There's a lot going on here, but the flavors are a little muddled. I get some wood that comes off as a little green, but that's probably because of the herbal peat influence. There's a faint minerality that just turns a tad floral at some point. It reminds me weirdly of Copper Fox Rye, but with less rye and smoke and more richness. I start to get the classic Laphroaig band-aids, but there isn't a ton of that happening. It's a fine enough nose, but I don't have any particular compulsion to keep sniffing it.
P: Oddly, aside from the fact that there are indeed smoke and peat present, the first thing that hits me here is the lack of that bit of tart waxiness that I get in some other peated scotches like Amrut and Port Charlotte. It has a bit of sweet seaweed with apple - something in the wakame salad range, perhaps? I get the band-aid's coming lightly out of the smoke and peat, but the sweetness largely dispenses with them. There's a definite drying mustiness like moldy cardboard here, but I'm kind of liking it. There are some chocolatey notes in the smoke, but not a ton.
There's some nice malty richness coming through along with some clear spiciness and a bit of vanilla. I didn't expect the bourbon barrels to be so present, but once I realized that was what I was tasting, it was unavoidable. It's an odd profile, but the balance works out within that range.
The combination of richness, peat, and sweetness lacks the finesse of something like Talisker Distiller's Edition, but it carries more of that peaty Islay punch. While it doesn't match the likes of Port Charlotte and Ardbeg in terms of pure force and the balance is arguably a bit challenging, the complexity does avoid being muddled too much, so it can be appreciated.
I get a bit of that Ardbeg rubber (the good kind of rubber), but it isn't overwhelming. The same goes for some mildewed cardboard.
F: There's a spicy barrel note mixed with big smoke with some herbal peat. It gets a hint of chocolate. I get a little bit of meaty richness too. It's nice and packs a punch without being harsh. There's some herbal character with a little sweetness. A long finish of faint musty cardboard. It's a solid finish with some nice complexity, but it's also still a little muddled. Overall, it's a really nice finish, but it's kind of challenging and muddled. I'd take other Islay scotches.
- Conclusion -
OK, so I don't actually have Laphroaig 10 to compare this with. I wasn't super impressed by the Laphroaig 10, so I killed the bottle without saving a sample, since I didn't expect to be getting another Laphroaig anytime soon. Then I got a larger liquor cabinet and saw this for $50 locally even after the tariffs took effect. Sold.
Side by side, Amrut Peated strikes me as about on the same level. It may not be as complex, but it tastes a bit more coherent. I'm torn between them, but I'm leanign toward this.
Glenglassaugh Torfa on the other hand is clearly not as good as this is. It's too young and sweet. I think that this Laphroaig is a tad sweet and the Torfa is sweeter.
And side by side with Copper Fox Rye? Oh lord, the copper fox is so watery with tremendous mineral and a little funky vegetal flavor. This blows it away. This bottle is really growing on me. It's not going to be an all time favorite, but it's solid, particularly at $50 when all of the other "budget" ($40-$50) scotches have gone up by $10.
Caol Ila 12 is a bit more herbal and bitter, but less complex (which is interesting because complexity is not what I expect from a quarter cask).
I'm leaning toward a 16, though I'm also considering a 17. Side by side, Corsair Wildfire struck me as clearly better (though also quite different). I guess that in itself is an interesting discovery since both are about the same price. Maybe I should stock up on Wildfire before it disappears? Ardbeg Uigeadail and Corryvreckan both clearly beat this as well, but that's no surprise. It's a rough comparison, but this is to those as Copper Fox Rye is to this.
I can't see this being lower than a 15 and I don't see an 19 being possible. So it's a 16 to 18. I'm spent a while mainly considering 17 and 18. This has really grown on me. That said, I've also had moments where I found Johnnie Walker Green (17) to outclass this. But this also seems better than Amrut Peated (16) and Shin 10 (16).
I think a 17 is the natural choice. The complexity here is really impressive. There are a lot of elements of Islay that it hits too. The balance is a bit off-kilter (though it does improve with age), but this is still a really nice example of a peated whisky. This was a lucky find at $50 and I'd buy it again if I saw it at that price.
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@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington Yep, that seems like a good overview of the two
I feel like JW Green is so soft and Laphroig more heavy and medicinal. Time to visit the old frog 10 and see if it still numbs my mouth.