Richard-ModernDrinking
Laphroaig 16 Year
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
November 11, 2019 (edited May 21, 2021)
There’s an interesting twist to the latest limited-edition Laphroaig: nothing. No fancy finish, no complicated back story, just a traditional first-fill bourbon cask maturation with a sweet sixteen years in the wood. The last time we saw a 16-year-old from Laphroaig was a very limited half-bottle release for its 200th anniversary in 2015 and comparing my notes for the two suggests a similar recipe. The new version is still available from Amazon in the UK though I count myself lucky to have obtained one from the more limited US retail allocation.
The nose is predominately sweet camphor with creamy undertones, though there’s a hint of lactic acid and lemon. Pine needles in a damp forest also come to mind. In the mouth, it starts sweet, then turns increasingly peppery. The aftertaste begins tangy, then veers into menthol with a hint of sweetness.
It’s a straight-down-the-line Laphroaig, flawless in its representation of the distillery. As I wrote for the previous 16, it’s mellower than the 10 and less challenging than the 18. There are no waves of complexity to the palate nor any great surprises, but there’s nothing wrong with that when it comes to Laphroaig. Sometimes it’s hard to improve on the original.
90.0
USD
per
Bottle
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
@LeeEvolved and that there is the power of AMZN...to demand a limited half bottle anniversary one to be remade
Wow, the “collectible” 16yo half bottles from 2015 probably just took a hit, value-wise.
@Rick_M @PBMichiganWolverine The mkting dept is in charge I reckon. 3 wood...hmm what else can we do...I know....4 wood! Ok age ranges...we don't have all the ages let's throw darts at a dart board and randomly produce the age range. And so on.. :-)
@Richard-ModernDrinking - I have no idea how you found this for $90 but well done! Great review.
@PBMichiganWolverine Amazon has always sold drink in the U.K. but has recently had a couple of exclusive deals with this and a recent Bowmore
@Rick_M Inventory management - one assumes they will have enough stock to restart the 18 in a couple of years.
@Rick_M I’ll mention it to my boss
@soba45 - it’s hard to figure out what Laphroaig is up to. Discontinue the 15 & 18 and come out with a 16. What’s up with that?
@Soba45 @Rick_M @Richard-ModernDrinking another new limited edition? This one seems to have flown under the radar. Is AMZN testing the water for spirits / wine sales ?
@Rick_M Ha that's what I was thinking. I was like whaat Laphroaig 16 when did that happen!
@Richard-ModernDrinking - you should be a reporter. Always getting the scoop before anyone else.