Tasting 6 Laphroaigs

There will be more Laphroaigs this peaty winter, but today I'll settle for these 6 samples.











Laphroaig 14yo 1996-2011 50.8% Creative Whisky Company cask#7317

Seems to be a bit of a leaking cask going on here, 50.8%abv is low for a 14yo at CS. The color is light golden. It smells of sweet acetone, peat, vanilla, light, breadcrumbs, polyester, meringues, pancakes, strawberries, sweet stuff. The taste is light and sweet for a Laphroaig, no coastal notes, no salt or medicinal notes, just very sweet and peaty, vanilla, sweet licorice, candy floss, almost a bit too much sweetness in this one. The finish is long, peppery and peaty.

Not for Laphroaig fans, an oddball: 4


Laphroaig 11yo 1998-2010 50.8% The Whisky Agency

An even less tight cask than the CWC, let's hope there's a little more of Islay in this one. The color is light golden. It smells ashy, tarry, soot, peat, peppery, medicinal, salty, a lot more classic Laphroaig profile than the CWC. The taste is sweet, vanilla, peaty, also a very straight-forward Laphroaig without much edge. Given a lot of breathing time it turns more bitter, resinous, peat. Peaty finish on medicinal and licorice notes.

Classic Laphroaig, reminds me a bit of the 10yo: 6


Laphroaig 11yo 1998-2010 54.5% The Whisky Agency

Another one with the same vintage from same bottler, but perhaps a bit higher strength will work wonder here, or maybe not.. Light golden hue. It smells of peat, acetone, spirit marker, coastal, smoky, peaty, smoked herrings, smoked mackerel, vanilla, rye, cigarette smoke, oak. The taste is sweet, vanilla, peppery, honeyed, sugary, melted vanilla ice cream, potato starch, peat. A very peppery and peaty finish.

A sweet performance dominated by peat: 5


Laphroaig 16yo 1996-2012 56.1% Malts of Scotland cask#12041

Amer brown color on this bourbon matured Laphroaig. Those who only buy dark-colored whiskies because they believe then it must be sherry matured should see this one. It smells of sweet peppery, flinty, dry sherry actually, reminds me of a sherried Kilchoman I once tried, gets sweeter, vanilla, rhubarb, pickled beetroot, dried onions, coleslaw, actually quite some sour notes that reminds me of coleslaw, I'm getting green apples as well, vinegar. This is for sure a weird Laphroaig but nevertheless a very good one. The taste is on very dry oak, leather, cinnamon, dried fruits, dried lemon, earthy. I'll add water. Now it turns sweeter, musty, more cinnamon and toffee, chocolate, peat, but it seems less peaty than the 1998's. Some vinegar and olives on the finish.

Lacks a bit of peat, but other than that an adventurous Laphroaig: 7.5


Laphroaig 14yo 1998-2012 56.6% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#700142

From a bourbon hogshead, good amount of cask sediments in this small sample. The color is light golden. It smells of coastal notes, dried fish, smoked mackerel, peat, ocean winds, salty meat, earthy, damp, bonfire, coal. The taste is peppery, peaty, spirity, coal, ashes, burnt oak, smoky, gasoline, crazy all out Laphroaig, This is the kind of peat-monster most Laphroigoholics fall in love with at first. The finish is long and peaty.

You won't try many whiskies as peat-driven as this: 7


Laphroaig/Lp2 NAS 64.1% Elements of Islay Specialty Drinks Ltd.

A youngster at a crazy strength, add some peat and we have an Octomore? The color is golden. It smells of honey and white pepper, oak, clams, bitter, herbal, coastal, medicinal, iodine, bitter liqueurs, genever. The high strength is not that noticeable on the nose. The taste is peaty, sweet, lime, bitter, tonic water, fino sherry, vanilla, pretty extreme, I usually don't add water to peated whiskies but I'll make an exception in this case. With water added it turns sweeter, more caramel, milk chocolate at first, then peat, peat and more peat.

To be fair, it's just a bit raw to fully enjoy: 6.5



Next tasting: Bruichladdich Distillery