2014

Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years
43%
$65+
Discontinued

What the Distillery Says:
Mildly smokey with sweet, warm undertones – and just a hint of the sea – Laphroaig Fifteen year old is robust and succulent. Fulfilling and utterly unforgettable. Made in tiny quantities, it is esteemed and savoured around the world by a fortunate few. Enjoy it neat or with a splash of soft water.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Much lighter brine and smoke notes compared to the younger siblings. It’s interspersed with a nice floral sweet back note.
Palate: Unseasoned seaweed chips with just a mild hint of sweetness. There’s also a minty cherry thing going on in the background.
Finish: Long and dry. And old wood burning stove that’s been unused for years.
Comments: This is a long gone bottling replaced by the 18 Year Old back in 2010. When the switch first occurred I swore up and down that I preferred the old 15 to the new 18. However, as time and tastes have mellowed I can’t say one is really better than the other. The three years, higher proof, and non-chill filtration make the 18 stand out. Maybe it was just the nostalgia and sadness I felt whenever a good dram was discontinued. I like the 10 Year Cask Strength much better but for those who want a piece of history grab this one if you see it.
Rating: Stands Out

Laphroaig Triple Wood Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
48%
$60-$65
Website

What the Distillery Says:
This expression of our famous whisky, from the remote island of Islay in the Western Isles of Scotland, has enjoyed a triple maturation in 3 types of cask. Just as with our standard Quarter Cask expression, the first maturation is in American oak, ex-Bourbon Barrels. We then select the most suitable of these barrels, containing a range of different aged spirit and transfer into small 19th Century style Quarter Casks for a second maturation. The final maturation is in specially selected, large European oak, Oloroso Sherry Casks.

It is bottled at 48% ABV and is non-chill filtered for a depth of taste and texture.

COLOUR: Bright gold
NOSE: At 48%, straight from the bottle, the initial flavour is quite sweet with a gentle mixture of sweet raisins and creamy apricots with just a trace of the dry peat smoke at the back, the smoother nutty flavours combine all these flavours into one smooth, syrupy whole. With a touch of water the peat smoke comes to the fore and masks the gentler fruitier notes. Even with the maturation being carried out in 1st fill bourbons, quarter casks and sherry butts, the intense bonfire ash smell of the earthy peat cannot be masked
BODY: Powerful yet with a creamy consistency
PALATE: With no water, a large initial burst of peat belies the slight lack on the nose but is gentled on the tongue by the creamier flavours of vanilla and fruit with just a suggestion of sherry sweetness. With a trace of water the peat reek is gentled, allowing the more complex flavours of citrus fruits and spices to come through. A slight tang comes from the European Oak balancing the creamier American White Oak.
FINISH: Mouth filling and extremely long but balanced by the sweet smooth caramel taste

What Richard Says:
Nose: [SMACK] take that you peaty wench! The sherry cask finishing almost destroys the smoky nose of the Quarter Cask. It doesn’t really scream sherry either. It’s more of a stone fruit and nut combination. There are little trace hints of smoke in the background but they are very understated.
Palate: Oily and viscous in all the right ways. I would expect the sherry finishing to make the palate sweeter than the Quarter Cask but it’s actually less so. This is an almost lighter and more integrated expression. The sweetness is more fruit derived and with a more tannic spin. Light peatiness again plays around the edges.
Finish: A rich, slow, but persistent fade. You are left with left over charcoals from last night’s fire.
Comments: The Triple wood is essentially the Quarter Cask further finished in sherry barrels. It’s amazing how such a pronounced and aggressive dram like the Quarter Cask can take such a sharp right turn with the additional wood time. I don’t necessarily like one more than the other. They are like different sides to the same coin. Very intriguing. However, I do think the Triple Wood will be more approachable for those new to Islay or Laphroaig compared to the Quarter Cask.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank Ben and the team over at DBC Public Relations for providing us with bottles for review.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
48%
$55
Website

What the Distillery Says:
Laphroaig Quarter Cask offers an irresistible doubling of flavour, due to the double maturation in two barrels made of American oak. Still-maturing whisky from our standard ex-bourbon barrels is transferred to quarter casks and left to rest in our warehouse just a stone’s throw from the Atlantic shore.

This process represents Laphroaig breathing new life into a once-defunct tradition: the use of the smaller cask size, which ensures increased contact with the oak, creating a soft and velvety edge to complement Laphroaig’s distinctive peatiness.

On the nose the sensation is toffee and caramel, caused by the vanillas and tannins of the American oak, plus a dryness from the wood oil. The finish is long and alternates between this sweetness and smoke.

COLOUR: Full sparkling gold
NOSE: Burning embers of peat in a crofters fireplace, hints of coconut and banana aromas
BODY: Full bodied
PALATE: Deep, complex and smoky yet offers and surprises the palate with a gentle sweetness
FINISH: Really long, and dries appropriately with smoke and spice

What Richard Says:
Nose: This is a campfire the next morning after it has died down and the embers were doused with a light rain or heavy dew. There is also a musty woody note like old polished furniture long forgotten.
Palate: Very creamy in the mouth. The 48% ABV seems to be ideal for viscosity. A nice toffee sweetness plays with the smoky flavors well.
Finish: A little hot and rustic on the finish. Spicy with more lingering smoke.
Comments: A very fine dram in it’s own right but it’s interesting to compare it to the 10 Year Old Cask Strength. In the 10 year the Islay character comes through more peaty and briney. In the Quarter Cask it comes through much smokier. Not different enough to rock your world but you can’t go wrong with either version.
Rating: Stands Out

I would like to thank Ben and the team over at DBC Public Relations for providing us with bottles for review.