LeeEvolved
Laphroaig Four Oak
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
April 19, 2018 (edited October 21, 2019)
** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice.
Oh, Laphroaig. I usually love you so much. This was also a special malt that wasn’t listed initially on the tasting list for the festival. This one is a travel retail exclusive and I actually purchased a bottle from a European online store a couple of months ago but haven’t gotten around to opening. It suffers from exactly the things I suspected would hurt it- too much oak cask influence while being pretty dry for a Laphroaig. The typical smokiness and oily mouthfeel weren’t present. I’ll open my personal bottle soon and run it through its paces, but this one didn’t really knock my socks off at the festival.
On a side note (and a bit of a rant): I want to give Laphroaig my “Punk Bitches of Whiskyfest Award” for promising pours of the 25, 30 and new Cairdeas and not delivering them. The Laphroaig rep simply said they couldn’t get the bottles in time for the festival, even though they announced them over a month ago. Also, there are several vintages of the 25 and the 30 has been out for almost 2 years- don’t tell me you couldn’t find them. I saw the 30yo in both stores we visited hours before the festival. If you can’t get the new Cairdeas (I somewhat understand)- then bring an old one. C’mon, guys. When 2 of my Top 3 whiskies didn’t show it started the night off on a bad foot for me. It made the 27yo Laphroaig a bittersweet tasting, as well. More on that one a little later.
Laphroaig gets my SHAME, SHAME, SHAME vote and should have to make The Walk of Atonement...
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Interesting, they did this sample show thing at NJ Whisky Guild tasting in 2016; wrote in a couple they would have and didn't have them.
@PBMichiganWolverine - no, the Four Oak wasn’t announced at all. I think they hoped this was an okay replacement for the 25, 30 or the Cairdeas. The thing was they didn’t even tell people about this. @Telex and I just happened to be standing there when he poured it for the people in front of us. They couldn’t advertise it because it’s not supposed to be available inside the US.
Haha...hope not. I got 4 oaks free at the airport. @LeeEvolved @Generously_Paul. You need to come to Nz Dramfest 2020. $90 USD for 2 days and 10 hours of no limit drinking including a fair amount of top shelf stuff :-)
@LeeEvolved wait, this was their offering for the VIP tickets? That’s just plain highway robbery.
I've heard the same excuses from Laphroig at festivals twice. Sounds like this tasted as poor as I expected it to.
Bunch of hucksters and swindlers and crooks and festizios if you ask me! Charging those crazy VIP ticket prices and then suddenly not having the bottles advertised and giving out 1/4oz pours at best.
@Soba45 - my problem is that they advertised the 25 and 30yo to sell VIP tickets and then the rep said they never made it to the distributor in time. Funny, we walked to 2 local stores and they both had bottles of the 25 & 30 sitting on shelves, but the festival rep couldn’t acquire them 6 weeks out. (Big eye roll) Finding that out 10min into the festival really soured my mood and I never quite recovered. I don’t think I’d go again nor recommend it to anyone. A bunch of the reps were also very stingy with the pours.
Interestingly they were the only distiller to do the exact same to us at our festival. They kept saying 'its coming' on day 1 and it never did. Eventually day 2 they produced some after we'd asked for the seventh time but man they weren't advertising the fact and had the bottle well hidden (unlike the advertising prior to the festival)
Pretty weak on their part. And no Lore either. Lame lame lame