Ctrexman
Laphroaig Lore
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
April 22, 2020 (edited September 10, 2022)
As a massive Islay fan Ive read reviews on this and its heralded as some amazing shit. Is it hype or warranted we shall see. Found it at specs for 83$(great price). Poured neat, the Lap heritage is evident on the nose with salt cured bacon roasting in a fire pit, bandaids, menthol and malt just leaping out of the glass supported by ocean driftwood and dense peat smoke. Let it sit a bit and you can pull some anise and clove like spice. Rich and pungent yet ethanol is ghosted. Mouthfeel is diesel thick with palate bursting at the seams. You cannot take it all in on initial taste too much going on. Have to parse it out over subsequent samplings. Deep rich smoky malt, bbq meats, mentholated pinewood, vanilla frosted donut with creamed dark roast coffee power through your senses. Im sure if I wait this out I can pick out much more but its so damn delicious I want to take another pull. Finish is long extension of palate never going dry or tannic just maintaining and sustaining your complete enjoyment of this dram. Salty smoked meats with malt and peat enduring along side aged timbers. The cooling menthol is amplified with a drop if you choose. I can break it down based on the Laphroaig ive had. The 10yr is great and value is very high. The quarter cask is better and worth the upcharge. This is on another level and worth the $$ imo if you want to get the best Laphroaig experience under $100. I fear Im falling into the trap of high cost scotch but the old adage is true here you get what you pay for.....96/100.......pure concentration of flavors and complete lack of off notes or ethanol issues is the difference in pricing levels. Not quite on Lag 16 complexity level imo and Oogie is still a tough out but this is most certainly a major contender with tremendous depth and power
83.0
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per
Bottle
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truly glad you liked it!
@Jose-Massu-Espinel it was your review that pushed me over the edge and made me buy a bottle yesterday. Thank you kindly sir!
@cascode $500 USD for the Laphraoig 18. Wow. I knew it must’ve gone up, but wow…at that price, makes zero sense. You’re right, if you’re willing to spend that much on the 18, might as well buy the 27. Else, this Lore is more than sufficient as a stand in.
incredible whisky
@PBMichiganWolverine When it came out Lore was one of the first NAS whiskies with real credibility, and it's still pretty much as good. The old "white-tube" Laphroaig 18 was a marvellous whisky but you'll only find it on the secondaries now and the price will be absurd. If I were contemplating spending that much on a Laphroaig I'd up the ante and go for a contemporary 27 year old which is a whole different realm of experience.
@PBMichiganWolverine I may just pour one tonight…
@DrRHCMadden nice —-curious to get your take on it. When it came out years ago, it was really good. Hopefully they kept up the quality and casks.
@PBMichiganWolverine I will look for it; but tonight I am holding a bottle of Lore 😃
@DrRHCMadden if you can find the old 18 ( which Lore replaced), that was even better
@PBMichiganWolverine thanks, that’s some solid advice. I’m leaning towards Lore. See where the evening commutes whisky cave drive by ends me up tonight…
@DrRHCMadden Uigi and Lag Distillers are both peaty / sherry. Lore doesn’t have the sherry. If you like just the peat, it’s a Lore as a sure bet. If you like sweet peat, I’d take Uigi over Lag Distillers
Go for the Lore it seems to have consensus
So I’m contemplating what I should go for as next purchase; a lagavulin distillers edition, an ugie, or this Lore. What do you think?
@Ctrexman prices on brown all around are getting silly
This has jumped to $110 at same store I bought at
Great review! It's been a long time since I had Lagavullin 16 but from memory I'd prefer this and definitely this after the latest Oggie releases I have had
Thanks for all the positive feedback. This is superb scotch. I did back to back multiple times with Oogie and its close and just depends on your preference. The menthol/medicinal character vs the dark coffee/malt of Lag 16 is my tipping point to go with Lag 16 over this. I can understand why some would go the other way.
Been a lot of positive hype around here for the Lore lately. I’m about to have to hop on the yum train haha.
I'm also in the Lore > Lagavulin 16 camp, but great review and great dram. I'm fortunate that this goes for $99 in my locale, and occasionally less.
I think I know where I'm going with this one. Thanks again, Ctrexman.
I don't know that I'd go so far as to say it's my favorite whisky, but I can't think of anything that I like better. Awesome review!
Great review and I agree with you except for one thing - this is better than Lagavulin 16.
Thanks DC, not sure Id shell out buck forty for this on second bottle but I probably would on first if that makes any sense
Damn, you've laid it down with an iron gauntlet. I can't find this for under $139 in my area. But my interest has been piqued. Great review!