washeewashee_reviews
Laphroaig 25 Year Cask Strength (2013 Edition)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
July 24, 2018 (edited July 25, 2018)
2014 Release
Nose - (w/o water) Dark fruity smoke, earth, fruity peppercorns, dark pear cider, spicy dark chocolate (w/ water) Less smoke, more sea air, ripe pears, golden raisins.
Taste - (w/o water) White pepper tingle/heat, sweet smoky salty dark pear cider, lightly drying mouthfeel, smoked sweet nuts, golden raisins (w/ water) Oaky, salty, sweet smoke, initial dark raisin sweet quickly transitions to a golden raisin sweet, ripe pears, sweet smokehouse almonds.
Finish - (w/o water) Lingering white pepper tingle/heat, very drying, light sea salt smoke lingers, light smoked salted nuts, golden raisins. (w/ water) Gentle warmth, golden raisins, sea spray, light lingering sweet smoke.
Score - 89/100
Final Thoughts - I quite liked this the first time I tried it and I like it again this time. Not being a huge peat head, this was quite tasty as the smoke & all of the unpleasant notes I get from younger Laphroaig are mostly tamed after spending 25 years in oak. The sherry notes in this one are more subdued, so I'm not sure if they used refill sherry or a lighter sherry like amontillado/manzanilla because I get more nutty light fruit notes. Regardless, this is quite tasty, gentle smoke, light savory sea salt throughout, nicely balanced.
Would I drink it if offered? - Yes
Would I specifically order it? - Maybe, pending price
Would I buy a bottle? - No, I like it, but not enough to get an entire bottle to myself
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@cascode. That makes sense...so it’s important, but no where as close as wine vintages. Seems like wine vintages have a direct correlation to weather while whiskey ones are more so correlated to production quality
@PBMichiganWolverine Vintage assumes production in a given timeframe - from one harvest for example - which is way more important for wine, but still has meaning in whisky if the producer segregates the barrels from a given distillation run and only blends a batch of single malt from that production batch. In theory the batch variation could be more pronounced this way as opposed to the regular single malt blending process, where a batch might be sweetened with some much older barrels. GlenRothes certainly take vintages seriously, and anyone who has tasted several of their vintages will affirm that there is considerable difference between them. The Lagavulin 12 year releases are another case in point. However as regards Laphroaig 25 I don't know how much batch variation is a thing.
I think some sort of identifier between releases is important, primarily to keep track of the age of the bottling. Macallan has always done a good job of this and it makes a difference at auction.
I guess, technically, the term would be “release” since vintage refers to wine, but that’s why we call it poetic license. :)
@PBMichiganWolverine - I can see your point. I personally wouldn’t buy multiple vintages of the same age statement whiskies, either. So I guess I debunked my own query. Lol
@Rick_M @LeeEvolved yeah, I get that—-but why vintage? So, what difference would weather have?I guess that’s the biggest part of an year—-weather). So, wine is influenced by weather...if it’s too hot in Bordeaux, there’s less grapes, and more concentrated flavor...so I get vintage in wine. But...wouldn’t whiskey just be a marketing gimmick? .
@PBMichiganWolverine @LeeEvolved - in the single malt world batch variation is a given. Blends require perfect consistency even across decades.
@PBMichiganWolverine - I would think there has to be differences, even if they’re just subtle. These are all cask strength so the ABV will be different, plus seasonal temperature changes have to come into play with maturation, cask quality, etc. But, maybe I’m wrong...
@LeeEvolved wait...I don’t get it. Why does vintage matter? It’s not like wine that depends so much on temperature and rain.
Great review. I have a bottle of this vintage and am curious if this one is better than the 2011 and/or 2017 releases. I know the 2014 costs more than both of those releases. Have you tried any other vintages?