Jan-Case
Laphroaig Brodir
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
September 11, 2020 (edited December 14, 2020)
Nose: the peat is typical smoky iodine and soft rubber, also juniper, strawberries, currants, peppermint, damp reeds, the port finish gives it some thickness and smoothness with oily orchard fruits.
Palate: coal and ash at first, then it slowly gives way to a nice fruity part combined with peppery barbecue spices while being enjoyably sweet, really nicely balanced peat - spice - fruit ratio working great together.
Finish: medium long with the peat smoke remaining smoothly and not as ashy probably because of the port finish.
You sure need to be a fan of the very unique Laphroaig peat but when you are, this whisky is really good. The port finish gives it a nice secondary yet really defining character.
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I'd never heard of this before. *Checks details page* Ah, not available in US :(
@CKarmios they are still very young and their range consists of only NAS bottlings but they sometimes write on the back how old of a whisky you get. This year they have something with up to 7 years old juice in their releases. I thin once they hit the ten year mark they probably will be more widely available. You should check online shops as well. Here in Europe they are really widely spread and you can get them even in the smallest shops. But definitely try looking for them. It is really worth it.
@Jan-Case only the other day I was watching an interview with Anthony Wills, wine guy turned whisky man, ends up at Islay because of the wife :-) I like the story behind Kilchoman - single malt, single farm. Difficult for me to find their whisky where I live. Perhaps a trip to Scotland, but then covid"
@CKarmios well in that case you have to try Kilchoman Sanaig or Loch Gorm ... this is where it’s at. My absolute favorite sherried peat whisky hands down.
@Jan-Case I’d never ask about the Uggi. You’re right, of course. Uggi’s in a category of its own, a near perfect marriage of the sherry cask with the Islay peat.
@CKarmios I had both the Lagavulin 16y and Distillers Edition. It has been a while but to be honest it is hard to look behind the all-defining peat soul of both of them. And while the port / sherry influences are indeed obviously there, they aren’t as intense as the base whisky to really define them. And I personally really can’t become friends with Lagavulin in general and like this Laphroaig better than both the 16 & DE. If they are getting more similar? I’d say yes. The special cask finishes definitely bring both down to a secondary characteristic that make them much more approachable. Yesterday I had a side dram of Ardbeg Uigedial - and this one tops everything. It just puts the sherry cask usage perfectly in line with the base whisky where that cask influences are also much more present. But totally different as well
Laphroaig’s special peatiness set aside, would you say that the port finish is taking it closer to a Lagavulin profile, or is it a completely different mouthfeel and sweetness?