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Laphroaig
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Laphroaig
distillery is located at Port Ellen on Islay
and it is believed that the Johnston family began farming at
this location in around 1800. They then supposedly founded a
distillery in 1815, but didn't get a license until some years
later.
Donald Johnston became sole owner after buying out his
brother in 1836, but died in 1847 when he fell into a vat of
whisky!
Laphroaig remained within the family until 1954 when Ian
Hunter died without heirs and left it to Bessie Williamson. |
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Bessie had joined Laphroaig for a three month summer job
thanks to her uncle Willie, accountant to Ian Hunter, Laphroaig
owner at that time and after proving invaluable she remained for
40 years, eventually owning the distillery as mentioned above.
Knowing that further investment to reach global markets was
required, Bessie sold Laphroaig to Long John International in
the early 1960's.
Allied Domecq acquired the distillery in 1990 and in 1994
Prince Charles visited the distillery and gave it his Royal
Warrant.
In
2005 Laphroaig was acquired by Fortune Brands, a division of
Beam spirits.
More great distillery info here, thanks to
Malt Madness |
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Laphroaig
(OB) |
General whisky characteristics: Peat, iodine and The
Atlantic |
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Laphroaig,
10y, 40% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle;
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Rich
gold
Nose:
A
long walk on an Islay beach, carrying a lump of peat on a misty
morning, just after the tide receded,
Palate:
Massive peat, growing even richer on the palate over the first
few seconds. Also creamy seaweed and toasted wood smoke.
Overall Impression:
How
can anyone argue with the definitive Laphroaig, although is it
my imagination, or does the 10y expression of today have less
iodine on the palate than that of 10-20 years ago? In the mood
for peat? Then go for this one! |
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Laphroaig,
18y, 48% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Rich
oak, amber
Nose:
Glowing peat embers on an open fire with just a dash of papaya
and apple.
Palate:
Deliciously smooth, slightly fruity peat and light smoke with a
hint of fresh Atlantic breeze.
Finish:
Long, gentle peat, Atlantic sea-air and very slightly bitter at
the end.
Overall Impression:
A
very civilised and most enjoyable Laphroaig. |
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Laphroaig,
Quarter Cask, 48% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Spiegelau
Colour: Warm
gold
Nose:
This
takes a couple of minutes to develop, starting with gently
smoked ham, then opening to a peaty smokiness and finally a full
peat bog right alongside the Atlantic Ocean.
Palate:
Creamy peat which
just expands across the palate with an Atlantic jetty for a
companion.
With 3 drops of
water: A little more intense on the palate, more warming and
even a touch of liquorice in the finish.
Overall Impression:
This
is a wonderfully sophisticated peat experience, but with any
ferocity or sharp edges to discomfort the palate. It is
undoubtedly a Laphroaig, but without the raw iodine elements of
the 10y expression. A delightful dram! |
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Laphroaig,
Triple Wood, 48% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle;
to |
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Nose:
Peat,
seaweed, malt and (wood) smoke all sitting in an old
deep-buttoned leather chair and surrounded by oak book
shelves
Palate:
Rich,
deep, complex and mature with raspberries and bramble (blackberry)
jam to the fore, but the aftertaste is dominated by peat, smoke,
sea air and just a touch of salt.
Overall Impression:
Make
no mistake, this is a real Laphroaig in a smooth, rich and
mature way, with the more typical Laphroaig traits dominating
the aftertaste and not the initial palate. I love this whisky! |
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Laphroaig,
10y, 43% ABV
An older version of
10y at 43% abv
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Short stemmed
(Bugatti style)
Colour:
Bright
rich gold
Nose:
Really quite briny, almost salty fish with a
gentle hint of furniture polish. Quite musty too.
Palate:
Liquorice, furniture polish and vanilla.
Finish:
Long
and really quite fruity.
Overall Impression:
This
is a good whisky, but a Laphroaig? The nose suggests Laphroaig,
but the palate is most unusual. If I tasted this blind and had
to guess the distillery I could be struggling. |
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Cairdeas |
Feis Ile
bottlings |
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Laphroaig,
Cairdeas 2009, 12y, 57.5% ABV
Feis Ile 2009
bottling
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Pale
Yellow
Nose:
Sweet
aromatic light rubber, then gently smoked peat left out on an
Atlantic jetty to dry.
Palate:
Initially creamy
fruit (redcurrants and berries) but this soon dissipates to
leave a pile of peat sunbathing on a Sunny Atlantic beach.
With 3 drops of
water: An extra helping of smoky peat comes to the nose. The
palate is smoother, but loses the fruit and gains much more
peat-power.
With a further 3
drops of water: Peat, (wood) smoke and pure Atlantic air.
Finish: Long
and peaty, more so with water.
Overall Impression:
The initial nose was quite aromatic with a little rubber
alongside the normal Laphroaig traits, but the addition of water
soon turned this into a more traditional and very powerful
Laphroaig. This is a very good bottling, I love it! |
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Laphroaig,
Cairdeas 2010, Masters Edition, 57.5% ABV
Feis Ile 2010
bottling
"A range of spirit
from 11 to 19 years old"
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Very
pale yellow
Nose:
Gentle
smoke, light peat, salt and hints of light leather.
Palate:
Subtle smoke and peat with the faintest suggestion of fruit.
With 3 drops of
water: Sligthly more pepper (tingle) but an introduction of
faint treacle toffee and popcorn alongside a sligthly stronger
peat influence.
With 3 more
drops of water: A slightly fresher nose but again more
pepper (tingle) on the palate with even more peat, popcorn and
treacle toffee.
Finish: Very
long, almost everlasting with more water, but with slight hints
of liquorice rigth at the end.
Overall Impression:
This is a rather different Laphroaig. It's sophisticated and
subtle but the addition of water removes some of the subtleness.
This is another extremely good Laphroaig and those subtle
overtones reflect the inclusion of some older vintages in the
recipe. Excellent! |
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Laphroaig,
10y Cask Strength, 57.8% ABV
Batch 001, bottled
Feb. 2009
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Rich,
glowing amber
Nose:
Initially
slightly toasted peat, opening quickly to include the smoke of
an open bonfire in the middle of a Scootish jetty in the
Atlantic.
Palate:
A rich Laphroaig
with lots of peat, little smoke and a faint medicinal touch.
With 3 drops of
water: Much more smoke on the nose. A creamy palate of
full-strength peat.
With 3 more
drops of water: Smoke and sea-air in abundance on the nose.
In-depth, slightly medicinal peat on the palate.
Overall Impression:
A wonderful Laphroaig which takes a little water to really open
to full effect. |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Amber
Nose: Uncompromising power with true
Islay peat and lots of it, but also plenty of that Laphroaig
maritime 'je ne sais quoi'
which personnifies the slightly dilapidated wood of an old Islay
jetty, soaked for many years in the salty Atlantic. I do like
a good Laphroaig nose and this is certainly one of them.
Palate: Quite smooth as the peat
encompasses the palate and just grows almost exponentially on
it.
With
4 drops of water: the nose sympathises even more with The
Atlantic whilst the palate lightens sligthly even to the point
of gaining a little fruit.
A
further 4 drops of water: bring some of that light fruit to
the nose and smoothens the palate much more too.
Finish:
Very long and very peaty with a little of that
fruit making an appearance too. In fact at this stage the fruit
is almost red apple.
Overall Impression: I'm not sure this is quite as good as
batch 001 in 2009, but it is good, very good and thank you very
much, I think I'll have another!
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Laphroaig,
10y Cask Strength, 55.3% ABV
Batch 003, bottled
Jan. 2011
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Rich golden oak
Nose: Rich and deep earthy peat and (wood)
smoke with a hint of saltiness. There's also something quite
richly fruity in here which is along the lines of raisins,
sultanas or even plums, but this really sits alongside a quite
rubbery, smoky and 'Atlantic' character.
Palate: There's an initial earthiness accompanied by a
suggestion of cherries before a peat explosion caresses the
palate. I can only say warming, peaty, smoky & fruity.
With
4 drops of water: A fruitiness remains on the nose but it
has totally changed from earthy dark fruits to light and
slightly bitter ones with mainly green apple and pear but this
doesn't last long as the fruitiness is soon replaced by a
healthy dose of peat, smoke and fresh Atlantic sea air. As for
the palate it is dominated by wonderful Atlantic peat and smoke
with a hint of toasted raisins. Did you ever toast raisins? I
somehow think you should!
Finish:
Long, with wonderfully earthy peat.
Overall Impression: Transmoglifyingly good! Wonderful.
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D. Laing,
Old Malt Cask, Laphroaig, distilled 1992, 12y, 50% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Nose: Typical Laphroaig,
peat, smoke and sea-air. But not in a medicinal way. In fcat,
further nosing even identifies a little blue cheese.
Palate: Tingling peat
and smoke, but less pungent than the OB 10y.
Overall Impression: A
good Laphroaig which, as the age suggests, lies in taste between
the OB 10y & 15y.
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The Perfect Dram,
Laphroaig, distilled 1986, 23y, 60.9% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Rich gold, amber
Nose:
Quite fierce leather hiking boots in mid-Summer, walking through
a field of honey.
Palate: Lots of alcohol,
then fruit and peat. It needs water.
With 5 drops of water: The nose is definitely more aromatic
with that honey field.
With 5 more drops: Wow, the nose really has opened to
illustrate sea-shells in a peat bog, right alongside the
Atlantic. The palate is still very intense.
With 10 more drops: The nose is now extremely aromatic
Atlantic air and peat. The palate is really quite fruity (almost
apricot) peat and (wood) smoke.
Finish: Very long.
Overall Impression:
Don't be shy with the water and this dram really will please!
Very different and very enjoyable. |
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D. Laing,
Old Malt Cask Laphroaig, 20y, 50% ABV
Special bottling
for La Maison Du Whisky
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Rich gold
Nose:
Toasted malt, faint rubber, peat and an Atlantic harbour or
fishing village.
Palate: Rich and smooth
with fruity reminders of Summer berries, but also mature peat
and smoke in a light, Summery kind of way.
With 5 drops of water: A lighter, fruitier nose and the
palate has 'grown' somewhat to enhance the peat.
With 4 more drops of water: Warming peat with the fruit
relogated to the background.
Finish: Long, even longer with water.
Overall Impression: Once
again fruit plays a part in this whisky but the peat dominates
overall. This is undoubtedly a mature Laphroaig, the iodine,
seaweed and Atlantic are not present and water is required is
required to get the best out of this dram, but when added it
rewards thoroughly and turns into a very good and extremely
solid whisky. |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Dark
(21ct) gold
Nose:
Light smoke and peat, but lots of fruit. This also has hints of
sligthly smoky ham, not an intense Black Forest ham, but more
like a local "black-smoked" ham which we buy.
Palate:
Creamy and peaty,
this would be the perfect flavour for a peat ice cream! But
again it needs water.
With 4 drops of
water: The nose has developed a specific apricot aroma
alongside the peat and the palate is already smoother with peat
and fruit.
With 4 more
drops: The peat is more intense but the fruit has been
replaced by more maritime aromas. The palate is turning into 'Islay
at its best' with intense peat and (wood) smoke.
A further 4
drops: A much more maritime nose but the palate is now
weakened a little too much. There's still peat and smoke, but
all intensity is lost with this latest addition of water.
Finish:
Long, long, peat.
Overall Impression:
I'm amazed by the
amount of fruit in this Laphroaig, but don't worry, it's a
genuine Laphroaig with that iodine, smoke and peat when water is
added, just don't add too much. A very good whisky.
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Whisky Agency 12y, 1998-2010,
52.4% ABV
"Liquid Library"
series
Typical cost of
this bottle; |
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Glass:
Munich
whisky fair
Colour:
Pale
yellow
Nose:
Peat, smoke and that indisputable Scottish open
countryside alongside Balck-Forest ham!
Palate:
An
Islay peat block served wrapped in Black Forest ham with a hint
of white pepper.
Finish:
Long
with faint pepper and green apples.
Overall Impression:
A very
nice Laphroaig indeed!
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David Stirk,
Laphroaig
14y,
Oct. 1996, 50.8% ABV
"Exclusive
malts"
series, Cask 7317, one of 332 bottles
Typical cost of
this bottle;
Dram-atics Live
(and blind) Review |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Pale
straw
Nose:
Cherry schnapps, smoke, wood and a good dose of
Atlantic sea-air.
Palate:
Lots
of fruit alongside wood-smoke and faint peat.
Finish:
Very
long with equal amounts of fruit and sweet peat.
Overall Impression:
I
really didn't feel any need to add water to this sample which I
tasted blind. It's an atypical Laphroaig but a most enjoyable
one.
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Whisky
Agency,
Laphroaig
20y,
1991-2011, 53.3% ABV
"Liquid
Sun"
series,
Sherry Hogshead, one of 279 bottles
Typical cost of
this bottle;
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich
amber, maybe almost teak
Nose:
Lots of lightly polished smoky oak which slowly
expands to include a faint rubberiness. There's also a
fruitiness which reminds me of red berries and then a faint
suggestion of nuts. Somehow I wonder if this is what it would be
like treading a fruit and nut mixture in an old oak vat wearing
rubber wellies.
Palate:
Very
creamy mouth-feel and lots of vanilla, yes really, even though
this is a sherry cask. It's almost like a bourbon (the vanilla
not the whisky) vanilla sauce. This is soon replaced by
expanding peat smoke, apricot and toasted wood as I detect a
definite change to more typical sherry cask characteristics.
Finish:
Very long,
very rich and slightly dry.
Overall Impression:
What a
surprising whisky. There's just so much happening on both nose
and palate. Wonderful indeed!
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Whisky
Agency,
Laphroaig 21y,
1990-2011, 55.9% ABV
"Private
Stock"
series
(a joint bottling with TWE),
Bourbon Hogshead, one of 264
bottles
Typical cost of
this bottle
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Very
pale (9ct) yellow gold
Nose:
Lots of glowing enbers, fresh Atlantic sea-air
and some toffee-apple. In fact this is so reminiscent of my
childhood bonfire nights (you know, Nov. 5th when we celebrate
Guy Fawkes failure to blow up the Houses of Parliament) but in
this case held on an Atlantic beach.
Palate:
Even
more peat on the palate, in fact that bonfire just exploded in a
very peaty way. It's also really quite fruity and suggests hot
raspberries swimming in vanilla sauce.
Finish:
Long
and gently peaty.
Overall Impression:
If
only those childhood bonfires would have been held on an
Atlantic beach! This is wonderful whisky, lots of peat but
fruity too. I love that nose, but the palate isn't bad either.
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Wilson
& Morgan,
Laphroaig 21y,
1990-2011, 56.3% ABV
"Barrel
Selection"
series, cask
2351,
bottle
212 of 215
bottles
Typical cost of
this bottle
(right on the limit at 150)
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich
amber, not quite treacle toffee.
Nose:
A very generous portion of raisins and plums
marinated in amaretto and served in a toasted oak basket. A hint
of brandy snap too. An initial light smokiness expands with time
in the glass.
Palate:
Quite
unusual here with a suggestion of richly sherried wood, gently
smoky peat and an underlying fruitiness.
Finish:
Long,
rich and succulent.
Overall Impression:
Excellent, truly excellent. I'm really getting to like
the idea of sherried Laphroaig.
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A.D.
Rattray,
Laphroaig 25y,
24.2.1986-24.2.2011,
60.6% ABV
Bourbon Cask
No.2123
Typical cost of
this bottle
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
21ct
yellow gold
Nose:
An initial burst of galia melon and papaya is
followed by a suggestion of cherry wood. After 3-5 minutes a
smokiness begins to appear which is followed after 2-3 more
minutes by a slightly antiseptic suggestion.
Palate:
An
initially smooth mouth-feel offers an expanding fruity punch and
a light pepperiness. This expands to include lots more fruit and
then light peat.
Finish:
Very
long and fruity with a mild peatiness.
Overall Impression:
Another truly excellent Laphroaig approaching "Greatness",
but not quite.
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Hart
Bro's,
Laphroaig
18y,
April
1990 - Dec. 2008,
46% ABV
"Finest Collection"
series
Typical cost of
this bottle
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Extremely pale.
Nose:
Leafy light rubber is followed just for a second
or tow by a suggestion of milky baby vomit. Come to think of it
this could be what peaty Ovaltine would be like?
Palate:
Much
more solid than the nose as a creamy peatiness expands to
include red berries, then that leafiness leads into the finish.
Finish:
Very long,
leafy and peaty.
Overall Impression:
A
rather strange nose let this one down somewhat for me.
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Signatory,
Laphroaig 16y,
4.4.1995-16.6.2011,
57.4% ABV
"Cask Strength
Collection" Bourbon Barrel No.44, bottle No.18 of 140
Typical cost of
this bottle
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Bright
golden yellow.
Nose:
Very aromatic and lots of fresh air which reminds
me of freshly washed blankets with conditioner hanging out to
dry. This is followed by a gradually expanding leafiness
accompanied by peat smoke. Do Lenor offer a peated version of
their fabric conditioner? If so, I want it!
Palate:
A
surprising initial burst of creamy coconut with expanding peat
which just expands and expands and expands .... Lots of Atlantic
sea-air now too.
Finish:
Long
and peaty and continuing to expand.
Overall Impression:
Wonderful. Lots of what I call traditional Laphroaig accompanied
by plenty of not so traditional floral surprises. Another
excellent Laphroaig.
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Malts
of Scotland,
Laphroaig 1996,
2.7.1996
-
3.2009,
58.5% ABV
Bourbon
Hogshead, Cask 5382, one of 96 bottles
Typical cost of
this bottle
Unknown but I suspect |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Gold,
rich oak
Nose:
Initially musty wood, then light furniture polish
before developing a solid earthiness which expands to include
peat and even more earthiness with time in the glass.
Palate:
Very
nice, gentle, sophisticated peat.
Finish:
Very
long.
Overall Impression:
Uncomplicated, uncomplex, very nice Laphroaig.
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Archives,
Laphroaig 1998,
54.2% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Pale
straw
Nose:
Fruity (red & yellow fruits) earthy peat. After
some minutes a light hint of rosemary develops in the background,
but the fruitiness also expands to become very fruity peatiness.
Palate:
That
fruitiness of the nose just continues onto the palate with
raspberry, peach and coconut all introducing the peatiness onto
the palate. The peatiness steadily takes over reducing the
fruitiness to the background. A hint of vanilla now appears too.
Finish:
Long.
Overall Impression:
That
fruitiness is really quite amazing alongside the peatiness. This
is a tremendous whisky with a quite different, but quite
sophisticated character. I love it.
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Glass:
SMWS
Colour: Rich amber
Nose:
Vanilla, cream and sherry. Then comes Crθme Brulιe and some
quite herbal notes, dark cherries and yes, cordite!
Palate:
Initially a dry rubberiness with cherries and raisins followed
by dark chocolate, freshly ground coffee beans, damsons & plums.
With 4 drops of
water: Some wonderful peppery coastal Atlantic notes now
appear.
Finish:
Long, very long.
Overall Impression:
Not a
peat monster although some peaty cordite is present, but this is
a truly wonderful whisky.
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Signatory,
Laphroaig 15y,
26.11.1996 - 11.6.2012,
51.2% ABV
Cask (hogshead)
No.8510, bottle No.80 of 297
Typical cost of
this bottle
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2012 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Chablis or Pouilly Fumι
Nose:
Initially lots of fruitiness with hints of banana
stem, melon and peach but all warehoused in a peat bog. This is
all followed by a hint of spent match or firework touchpaper,
but not for long as a lightly peated earthiness soon returns.
Palate:
Bigger
and more intense than the nose with a tingly pepperiness
alongside fruity peatiness. The fruitiness is reminiscent of
(red) summer berries and peach, but the peatiness remains
foremost. It's quite sweet too.
Finish:
Long
and fading only very gently and slowly.
Overall Impression:
A very
subdued nose gives way to a much more intense palate. It's not
bad, but I somehow think it could be much more. It seems to lack
a little depth somewhere.
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Malts
of Scotland,
Laphroaig
06.1996
- 09.2012,
56.1% ABV
Sherry
Hogshead, Cask
12041,
bottle No.61 of 240
Typical cost of
this bottle
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2012 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Dark
amber, Mahogany-ish
Nose:
Furniture polish growing more intense quite
quickly. Not quite dark fruitiness but something similar, fresh,
rich and mildly antiseptic. Just like a good Laphroaig should be.
Palate:
Big,
rich, creamy, luxurious. Now why am I thinking maritime, peaty
crθme Brulιe?
Finish:
Long,
rich and creamy.
Overall Impression:
I love
it. Not quite a "Great" but not far away.
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