The Laphroaig Cask Strength bottlings have proven to be of excellent quality. The annual recurring batches consistently score well on average, but I somehow lost track of them myself for some years.
Perhaps it was because of the last batch I tasted, which I thought was a bit disappointing, plus that the price has risen considerably in recent years for this 10-year-old classic. Whatever the reason was, I just didn’t feel the need to buy a bottle of this 10 year old classic anymore.
Although until now, even though I didn’t intend to. I already bought a sample for this review because I was curious how this old favourite was doing now. And that (spoiler alert) turned out to be a delightful reunion!
This Laphroaig has matured in ex-bourbon casks and is bottled at 58.6% ABV.
Laphroaig Cask Strength tasting notes:
Nose: quite some peat, bonfire smoke and a whiff of tar. Ashes and iodine. Liquorice in the back, quickly followed by smoked ham. Then seaweed and sea salt. Later also a hint of vanilla sugar, mixed with a few drops of lemon juice and peaches.
Taste: it starts a bit sweet with a note of creme brulee. Bonfire smoke. Iodine and a hint of bandages. Followed by oranges and peaches. Later also honey and toffee and a lovely hint of milk chocolate.
Finish: long and a little bit dry. Lots of peat again, a hint of ashes and vanilla. A light wood note. A drop of honey and sweet oranges and again a hint of peach.
It just has all the elements you want to have in a Laphroaig. It’s good quality; it’s complex and tasteful, including those typical Laphroaig notes. I haven’t had that in an original bottling of them for a long time. It was just what I had hoped to taste and why I bought a bottle of this (and it happened to be on sale too!?).
