I went out to get myself a bottle of Lagavulin when my wife challenged me to get an extra bottle that was NOT on my wish list. Little did she know that about everything Bruichladdich produces (including Port Charlotte/Octomore), as well of everything Laphroaig, is on my unwritten secondary wish list :). Still a hard choice though, but since I'm going to a Bruichladdich Master Class in a few weeks (I'll get to taste a Black Art and some Octomore!!), I decided to go for a Laphroaig this time, and chose to explore the effects of maturation in smaller casks. For a NAS whisky, this Quarter Cask tasted surprisingly full though. The nose is rather sweet, with less prominent smoke than I would have expected. While tasting, after the initial sweetness/vanilla, a fair amount of smoke and peat kicked in, combined with a creamy/oily mouthfeel - just as I like. The aftertaste is somewhat dry, and lingers on for quite a while with some soft spices and smoke. Very nice! The Quarter Cask - which supposedly consists of whiskies between 5 and 11 years old - is often touted as a younger, less mature version of the Laphroaig 10, but while haven't tasted them side by side yet, I feel the increased wood contact does however positively influence this liquid, and makes up very well for its shorter maturation. They are indeed very similar and I'm finding it hard to decide which one I like better. Luckily I don't have to, as I have both in my cabinet :).