Next up in my Laphroaig series, is a sample of the 16-year that was generously provided by @ctbeck11 The nose is soft and subtle starting with a mix of smoked salmon, grilled pineapple, honey lemon cough drops and leather-bound books then dark chocolate covered toasted almonds and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by caramelized pears, nectarines and mildly sour cherries that transitions to mild baking spices, asphalt and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy and slightly sour tropical fruits before a moderate spice that slowly fades to blonde espresso, smoked brisket and leather-bound books then dark chocolate with light sea salt, charred sourdough and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by sautéed apples, nectarines and lemon zest that transitions to moderate baking spices, asphalt and mildly bitter black tea with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length, starting with sweet and slightly sour tropical fruits that fade to the background of tangy smoky meats, pipe tobacco, mild ocean brine, asphalt, leather-bound books and mildly bitter black tea. The nose is soft and subtle with those additional years in the casks taming those high smoke notes from the typical barbecue pit master opening their smoker to bask you in smoky glory into a mild and gentler smoked meat aroma that still maintains the dominant note but allows those mild sour citrus and polished oak notes to be able to provide a stronger impact. On the palate, the smoke comes through stronger than suggested on the nose with richer smoked meats that are still along the subtler side along with those sour tropical and citrus fruits that suffers from a higher spice than I prefer that throws off the balance and the oak veers towards a mildly bitter tea note that finishes with a mix of sweet and sour citrus that quickly fades to tangy meats, mild spices and black tea. After tasting the 15-year 200th Anniversary, I was eager to discover how a higher age statement with a 5% boost in ABV would impact the flavors of the 16-year and found that this is quite a delicious, well-crafted dram that I’d be happy to drink anytime but isn’t quite on par with the masterpiece of their 15-year 200th Anniversary as it isn’t as exceptionally balanced and the fruits lean heavier on the sour side which shows that older and higher ABV aren’t necessarily always going to be the better dram. At under $100 when these were released, I think these were a bargain to taste an older Laphroaig, but a quick search reveals that they have raised to around $150 today and I’d much rather just grab a bottle of Lore at a similar price that I find edges this one out. Ratings for the series so far: 10-year cask strength batch 11- 3.75 10-year sherry oak finish- 4.0 Lore- 4.0 2019 Caidreas Triple Wood- 3.75 2020 Caidreas Port and Wine - 3.75 2021 Caidreas PX - 4.0 15-year 200 Anniversary- 4.5 16-year- 4.0