Murray McDavid Laphroaig Tasting Notes

Murray McDavid Laphroaig 1988 (13 years old) 46%

Bourbon Cask MM2108/ Dist July 1988 Btl: Dec 2001/ Tasted: Feb 2002

A pure, almost elegant, or well as elegant as it can be at this age nose. Medicinal peat, soil and seaweed are all present and correct.

The palate is pure and straight down the fine. Powerfully peated with a smoky, tarry sooty mouthful of unfettered Islay. Some pleasant cocoa/ mocha hints in the finish. Does the job perfectly.

Murray McDavid Laphroaig 1993 (12 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Tempranillo

Dist: 1993 Btl: 2005/ Tasted: Sept 2006

A very, very odd nose. Winey red fruits plus restrained peat make odd bed fellows. There is some iodine, manure, salinity and background sweet fruit.

The palate opens with plenty of peat smoke followed by the winey red fruits, iodine and subdued medicinal peat. Very full flavoured with hints of bog myrtle and mint on the finish. I really can’t make my mind up about this! It’s the oddest bottling I have ever tasted. It’s definitely Laphroaig Jim, but not as we know it!

Murray McDavid ‘Mystery Malt’ ‘le Moine 2008 (10 year old) 46%

Laphroaig aged for 7 years in American oak and 3 years in ex-Koval 100ltr casks.

Dist: 2010 Btl:2018/ Tasted: Feb 2019

Pungent aromas of iodine, tar, bog myrtle and medicinal peat. Classically fresh and salty ‘phroaig with subtle citrus and surprisingly just a background of sweet, toasty oak.

The palate opens with a little more of the sweet oak but the menthol and medicinal peat makes short work of it. Very citric on the middle with hints of barley, white fruit and salt. The mentholated notes continue to build and develop a real band-aid character. Long, salty and peaty with lingering menthol, TCP and tar. Lovely!

James MacArthur Laphroaig Tasting Notes

James MacArthur ‘Old Masters Cask Strength Selection’ Laphroaig 1998 (12 year old) 57.2%

Bourbon Cask 700233/ Dist: 1998 Btl: 2010/ Tasted: Aug 2011

A full, butch, briny and phenolic nose with coal tar and creosote. A lovely substantial depth of  coastal fruit and just a touch of medicinalness! With time it becomes more manurey. Classic!

The palate is lightly oily with the peat carry a slight coffee inge. Quite sugary and violety, this makes the peat wonderfully sweet but the sooty, coal tar and rubber notes soon barrel in on a wave of fish oils. Really robust and full and even though the alcohol is imposing it is sublimely balanced. Good length with a violety/ sooty finish.

A drop of water mellows the nose a tad, the sugar has become quite crystalline in form and there is a slight grassiness now. The peat intensity has dropped off a bit, but it’s still wonderfully manurey though! The palate follows the same theme and has become a lovely sooty mouthful. Seriously long leaving the mouth coated in a slightly oily, rubbery coal dust!

James MacArthur ‘Old Masters Cask Strength Selection’ Laphroaig 1998 (13 year old) 56.2%

Bourbon cask 700234/ Dist: Dec 1998 Btl: 2012/ Tasted: Mar 2012

Quite a sweet, cough sweet nose, with sweet barley and sweet peat. Slightly medicinal with a touch of coastal character and smoke.

A sweet and tarry palate with the liquorice malt leading off. Relatively lightly peated with some syrup coated dried fruit. Quite an alcoholic and smoky middle leads into a slightly briny finish. The peat although light lingers well.

A drop of water bring out some natural caramel and a greater degree of coastal character on the nose. The palate, whilst still sweet now displays some gristy, sweet barley with a touch of smoked kipper. Full and robust with a malty, bacon fat middle and a long, mouth coating peat-oil finish.

Duncan Taylor Laphroaig Tasting Notes

Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Laphraoig 1997 (12 year old) 54.8%

Bourbon Hogshead 56441/ Dist: July 1997 Btl: May 2010/ Tasted: May 2010

Soft and quite subtle for a phroaig. Seems older than 12. Quite tarry and rubbery with a gorgeous depth of luscious, rich orange/ tangerine fruit. Impressively bold. Over time it develops a candied barley note and some sawdusty oak kicks in which holds the phenolic intensity in check. Surprisingly un-coastal, which leads one to think it has spent much of its life inland.

The palate is buxom and rounded, slightly candied but exuberantly fruity. Phenolic peat builds as does a sweet parma violet note. Very oily now, and the oil seems to have had heather and bracken seeped in it, oh and the peat is just so sweet and carbolic – yum! A really complex spirit with hints of tar, creosote and finally a subtle rubbery note. Superb length, like the nose it seems older, either way it’s an exceptionally good bottling.

With water the nose becomes more bog myrtley and heathery, the oak recedes to release a tad more phenolics and it seems to have metamorphosed into Ardbeg, an un coastal one though. Really honeyed now – in an old Glenrothes style, this is an ever-changing dram, or should that be a schizophrenic dram?

The palate is sweeter and more candied now. Still quite oily and maybe more smoky in an old skool Bowmore peat-briquettes style – see what I mean about schizophrenic! – Yes it’s a phraoig but not as we know it! Great fun!

Duncan Taylor NC2 Laphroaig 1997 (12 year old) 46%

Bourbon Cask 56413/ Dist: 1997 Btl: 2010/ Tasted: Aug 2010

A very soapy nose – Palmolive mixed with coal tar soap! Slightly phenolic and briny with some oak and indistinct fruit. A good balance but it becomes a touch candied with time.

The palate is fragile and a touch watery with musty peat and some malty sweetness. Ok length but sugary. Late hints of peat, botanical marc and grass. In conclusion – Flat and frankly pretty dull!

Douglas McGibbons Laphroaig Tasting Notes

Douglas McGibbons Provenance Laphroaig 1998 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon Casks DMG 3868 + 69/ Dist: 1998 Btl: 2007/ Tasted: May 2009

A pungent, rubbery nose. Classic medicinal, bog myrtle and iodine encased peat.

The palate is a bit immature. Opening with vanilla oak and followed by the usual – medicinal peat, grass, bog myrtle, iodine, rubber, seaweed and an alcohol content that seems a lot higher than 46%. A bit short with a coal dust finish.

Water mutes the nose somewhat, accentuating its fish oil character. The palate now has a distinctly charred character. Maybe it was a re-charred cask and frankly it’s not one of their best, maybe that’s why it was sold? In saying that there is a semblance of fruit.

Douglas McGibbons Provenance Laphroaig 2001 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon Casks DMG 5095 + 96/ Dist: 2001 Btl: 2009/ Tasted: July 2010

A fresh, briny and phenolic nose. Gentle-ish peat, tar and bog myrtle with some lovely, almost tropical fruit beneath.

The palate is gentle with peat briquettes and a touch of tar. Gets smokier towards the middle, although not quite as fruity as the nose suggests. Good depth Good length with peat and pepper notes.

Douglas McGibbons Provenance Laphroaig 2001 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon Casks DMG 5095 + 96/ Dist: 2001 Btl: 2009/ Re-Evaluated July 2015

Initially the nose is quite herbal, vanilla’d and toffee’d with bog myrtle, coffee and dense, oily, tarry peat. With time it becomes fresher as the salinity arrives.

The palate is a little watery and straightforward with peat, bog myrtle, citrus, brine and a touch of granulated sugar. Lovely, sooty, tarry finish, which in truth is the best part!

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Laphroaig 2005 (8 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1114/ DMG10407

Dist: Nov 2005 Btl: Sept 2014/ Tasted: Oct 2014

Quite tarry and malty on the nose with plenty of dense peat, iodine and medicinal notes. A lovely, sharp lemon note comes through along with hints of kippers and dusty peat.

The palate opens with the dusty, earthy peat before moving into coal smoke and tar. Whoa! This is a bit of a peat monster. Lightly herbal on the middle with bog myrtle, but the peat is still rampaging! Very long with, guess what? Yep. Lingering peat…… and tar and creosote. Definitely one for the peat freaks!

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Laphroaig 2001 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0704/ DMG7161

Dist: Feb 2001 Btl: May 2011/ Tasted: June 2011

A lovely, youthful, sweetly honeyed, violety tinged nose. Resplendant with plenty of fish oils, earthy/ manurey peat and tar. In fact I would say that it is ‘rude peat’, you know the really stinky type! Although it’s quite honeyed it’s still raw and edgy – It’s a young ‘phroaig! But…. It has depth and a relative complexity.

On the palate it is quite subtle and sweet for a ‘phroaig. It opens with some gentle orange fruit and barley, which leads into a seriously gristy, smoky, malty, coal dust middle. It slowly ambles off in that fashion to the end. Wow that’s a damn dense and malty ‘phroaig! Excellent.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Laphroaig 2001 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0722/ DMG7566

Dist: Feb 2001 Btl: Sept 2011/ Tasted: Sept 2011

Initially the nose is rather muted and oily but given some time the youthful peat gets going. The sweetness builds as do some sweet, malty, biscuity aromas. Lightly phenolic and smoky, and I would imagine mainland matured judging by the lack of coastal character.

The palate opens with sweet, malt biscuits and burnt toast, followed by some sweet, sooty peat. Quite full and rounded with the peat, although relatively subtle lingering, with the addition of some late liquorice and rubber. Again distinctly un-coastal, well, maybe there is a bit of salinity in the finish.

I suppose if this was retailing for say around £35, I would say that it’s not to bad value for money, but with a price tag of around £50, I’m not convinced.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Laphroaig 2001 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0755/ DMG7841

Dist Feb 2001 Btl: Dec 2011/ Tasted: Dec 2011

A young and sweetly phenolic ‘phroaig. Plenty of malt and dusty peat with a sweet edge.

The palate opens with an abundant tarriness. The oils mingle with the peat ash and coal dust notes, but it is quite a sweetie! Definitely young and intense with a dry, malty, dusty, spice laden finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Laphroaig 2002 (10 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: PRV0982

Dist: Oct 2002 Btl: Apr 2013/ Tasted: May 2013

A classic, crisp and briny ‘phroaig! Hints of iodine and bog myrtle along with a manurey/ tarry edge.

The palate opens with a barley sweet softness. Maybe a little less Islay in character to begin with but the medicinal, bonfire, peat smoke and tar notes build. Quite a subtle ‘phroaig with a lovely, fresh, briny middle. A long, dusty, tarry peat finish with hints of herbs and creosote.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Laphroaig 2000 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1001/ DMG9656

Dist: 2000 Btl: June 2013/ Tasted: July 2013

The nose is exceedingly stinky and manure. A huge whiff of sheep poo-peat! Slightly coastal with treacle, dark coff, malt and tar notes. Underneath all that is some sweet barley though.

The palate is full and vanilla’d. Quite oaky for a ‘phroaig. The earthy, manure-peat is tempered by the sweet barley and vanilla. Gently coastal with a light herbal, medicinal finish but again the vanilla holds along with a light crystallised sugar note.

Douglas Laing Laphroaig Tasting Notes

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 2001 (11 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2178

Dist: Feb 2001 Btl: Apr 2012/ Tasted: June 2012

A high toned and fresh nose with medicinal and herbal notes with hints of oily bung cloth. Quite youthful with plenty of cereal along with a touch of sooty peat. The oils continue building and mute the nose a tad.

Soft and quite subtle (for a ‘phroaig) with some gentle, smoky, ashy peat and medicinal/ iodine notes. Astringently coastal on the middle with the oils attempting to balance. Good length with a brief barley sweet interlude along with a touch of parma violets. Quite a saline-dry yet sugary finish with late hints of tar, liquorice and rubber.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1999 (12 year old) 50%

Refill Sherry Butt/ Code: OMC2063/ DL7458

Dist: Mar 1999 Btl: Jun 2011/ Tasted: July 2011

The nose opens with some lusciously sweet fruit and barley followed by the phenolic, brine encrusted peat, all in a wonderfully controlled fashion. Hints of citrus rind, ozone, and a load more fishiness arrive. A classic Laphroaig with some menthol and bog myrtle too!

A very tarry, ash encrusted opening to the palate. The mouth is coated in an oily sootiness right from the word go. The sweet fruit follows on with a touch of honey and some fishy nuances. Very intense and gorgeously peated. Very long with the citrus, bog myrtle and leafy goodness in the finish. It displays a deft sweet/ dry balance as the sweet fruit more than stands up to the alcohol and peat. Superb!

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1999 (12 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2107/ DL7806

Dist: Aug 1999 Btl: Oct 2011/ Tasted: Jan 2012

Hmm, quite a sweetie! A lovely depth with plenty of sweet barley, iodine, medicinal peat, bog myrtle, manure and tar.

The palate opens with the sweet barley as the oily/ ashy character builds. Gently medicinal with some dry peat notes. It continues with its sweet theme right the way through and those sugars hold the alcohol in check. Very long and quite juicy by ‘phroaig standards. Finishes with an oily/ ashy coating.

Douglas Laing Advance Sample For the Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 2000 (12 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2194/ DL8570

Dist Jun 2000 Btl Jun 2012/ Tasted Sept 2012

A rounded and quite creamy nose. Densely fruity with some sweet peat, tar and a hint of creamy vanilla.

The palate is lightly oiled and quite milky/ creamy in character. Gently peated with a lovely dollop of thick honey on the middle. Very long, spicy, ashy finish with a lightly salted after-taste.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1998 (14 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2220/ DL9222

Dist: Oct 1998 Btl: Oct 2012/ Tasted: Nov 2012

Quite a heavily oaked nose for a ‘phroaig. Full and vanilla’d. Lightly medicinal with hints of tarry-peat, iodine and bog myrtle. With time it becomes fresher as the salinity and citrus wins its battle with the oak.

The palate has more than a touch of vanilla. Which isn’t a surprise given the nose! Followed by some chunky set honey and gently building sooty-peat and ash, which keeps its head above the milky/ creamy oak. Good length with the medicinal, iodine and tarry notes coming through and a lovely sooty aftertaste.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1998 (14 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2221/ DL9227

Dist: Oct 1998 Btl: Dec 2012/ Tasted: Dec 2012

A very fresh and briny nose with a distinct astringent-peat, iodine, bog myrtle, seaweed and tar character. With time the aromas become fuller and richer with a sweet barley edge.

Very soft on the palate, opening with that sweet-ish barley and some milky oak. The phenols build with the earthy-peat, soot and iodine. Lovely sweet finish with a touch of tar and light treacle, shot through with some lovely sweet spices. Even the lingering peat has a sweetness to it!

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1996 (15 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2070/ DL7492

Dist: Jul 1996 Btl: Jul 2011/ Tasted: Aug 2011

The nose is quite mature but it still possesses a lovely freshness. Spicy peppery peat aromas mingle with some burnt wood and fish, later to be joined by some rubbery notes. The spirit itself is pretty robust with some barley sweetness beneath.

The palate is quite sweet, opening with the sugar coated fruit, followed by the gentle, sooty peat on the middle and finishing with just a slight coastal nuance (mainland matured?). Good length with some herbal notes in the after taste.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1996 (15 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2131/ DL7966

Dist: Oct 1996 Btl: Dec 2011/ Tasted: Jan 2012

More maturity on the nose than the 12 year old with menthol, camphor accentuated honey and fleshy apricot, banana and barley. Subtly peated with a distant coastal bonfire note. A seriously fruity ‘phroaig.

The palate is drier and less fruity than the nose would lead you to believe. There is a greater degree of peat soaked oils along with a hint of creosote. Even the intense alcohol fails to dislodge those oils as the stick to the mouth. Lovely length with the herbal notes running riot – bog myrtle, menthol and seaweed. Finishing with a light Colombian coffee and liquorice note.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1992 (16 year old) 50%

Refill Sherry Butt/ Code: DL4825

Dist: Apr 1992 Btl: Jan 2010/ Tasted: Nov 2010

For its age the nose is quite youthful. Damn phenolic as you would expect with menthol and medicinal peat notes overlaying the really heavy chocolate/ cocoa cask notes. The palate opens with an avalanche of dry, duty, phenolic peat and malt followed by the cask sweetness and alcohol. It’s an intense mouth watering ride. Excellent length with hints of menthol and bog myrtle in the finish and a pure peat dust after taste.

With water it all goes horribly wrong. It has metamorphosed into a sweet, sickly and seriously confected mess.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1993 (18 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: DL7120

Dist: Mar 1993 Btl: Mar 2011/ Tasted: May 2011

A pungent, medicinal and mature nose of bog myrtle pet and driftwood. Quite robust (in an Ardbeg style) with some sweet fruit beneath the phenolics. With time the wood notes appear adding hints of burnt coffee and toffee. Lovely maturity with a fresh gun flint and coastal edge.

The palate opens with a beautiful softness of sugar coated vanilla as the phenolic begin to build. It’s quite sweet for a ‘phroaig with the fruit becoming quite tropical in character, there are hints of honeydew melon, guava and pineapple all shot through with a gentle, lingering peatiness, which moves into a dusty/ ash like finish.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1993 (18 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2132/ DL7992

Dist: Sept 1993 Btl: Dec 2011/ Tasted: Feb 2012

A big, oaky and sweet nose with plenty of smoked meat and kipper notes. Quite gently peated with the peat wrapped in bacon fat. With time it develops some medicinal and manure characteristics.

Again, the palate is quite sweet and vanilla’d. Slightly sooty with plenty of bracing, astringent coastal salty bits. The oils build on the middle and the sweet honey glazed smoked meat comes back but the alcohol and coastal notes see off the honey before it becomes too sweet. The finish is pretty dry with a light tar, soot and burnt wood aftertaste. Another excellent ‘phraoig!

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Laphroaig 1990 (21 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2064/ DL7459

Dist: Mar 1990 Btl: Jun 2011/ Tasted: Aug 2011

Now this is a lovely and mature ‘phroaig! Dense, complex and inviting with hints of iodine, wicker fish baskets and gentle peat. Very earthy and wonderfully deep with some sweet barley fruit beneath. A stunning mature Islay nose!

The palate is gentle and mature with hints of fish, brine and sugar-coated fruit. Gentle, soft peat rolls on by along with a touch of camphor, iodine, bog myrtle and burnt coastal wood. A lovely depth and length with a distinct warming feel. A superb, mature, gentle Islay.

Douglas Laing Directors Cut Laphroaig 1996 (15 year old) 57.2%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: DIR0019/ DL8255

Dist: Oct 1996 Btl: Mar 2012/ Tasted: Apr 2012

Quite full, sweet-ish and very creamy aromas of salt encrusted, crunchy barley which you can almost sink your teeth into. It becomes rather manure with some gently sweetened bog myrtle-peat. Actually it’s very manurey now!

The palate opens with some quite sweet, almost gristy barley followed by smoke, brine and fish. It dries towards the middle as the salt and alcohol combine, but that wonderfully, soft sweet barley hangs in there. Finally some gentle herbal peat drift in and it finishes with some liquorice accented chocolate tar. Amazingly long with a superb bitter/ sweet balance.

With a drop of water, the nose becomes less creamy and more focused. The palate is gentler, less intense and rounded. Personally, I prefer the intensity so I would opt to rink it neat.

Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular Laphraoig 1999 (18 year old) 56.8%

Refill Sherry Butt/ Code: XOP0137/ DL12419

Dist: Mar 1999 Btl: Feb 2018/ Tasted: May 2018

The nose is heavy and oily with subtle dried sherry fruit, treacle, tar and sweet violets. The peat is gorgeously dusty to begin with but becomes quite pungent and manurey over time. Hints of bog myrtle, iodine, seaweed, burnt wood and malt appear with time.

The palate is full and robust with plenty of herbal sherry, bog myrtle, iodine, liquorice, tar and treacle. Subtly sooty peat, which builds, like the nose to become manurey. Hints of burnt driftwood and salt on the middle. Lovely, intense, smoky and subtly sherried finish with lingering fish oils, tar and treacle.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 2001 (14 year old) 48.4%

Refill Sherry Butt/ Code: OLD0232/ DL10877

Dist: Feb 2001 Btl: Aug 2015/ Tasted: Sept 2015

Rich juicy sherry aromas plus fragrant heathery smoke, peat and iodine. Hints of uber moist fruitcake, prunes in syrup and raisins. With time a touch of violets, coffee and salt appears. Lovely balance.

The palate is pleasantly full, opening with the lightly burnt treacle sherry and gentle peat smoke. Notes of menthol, bog myrtle and astringent herbs build on the middle but are countered by the iodine, tar and juicy dried fruit. Long, moist and succulent with smoke and earthy peat coming through. Delicious, lightly oiled after-taste.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 1999 (15 year old) 48.4%

Refill Sherry Butt/ Code: OLD0096/ DL10273

Dist: Mar 1999 Btl: Mar 2014/ Tasted: Apr 2014

The nose is quite dense and a little shy to begin with but the mentholated, mature-ish fruit and dusty peat arrive in time. Quite full and robust with malt, heavy, tarry oils and an almost molasses/ dark treacle note infused with orange and brine. That’s a lovely nose and it is showing a maturity beyond its years!

The palate is full and rich with dusty, light herbal peat, tar and ash. Again pretty malty and treacly on the middle as the mentholated herbs and iodine notes build. Very long with an explosion of maritime notes on the finish. Lingering soot, tar and peat dust fades into a lovely herbal after-taste. An excellent expression!

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 2000 (15 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0203/ DL10537

Dist: June 2000 Btl: Oct 2014/ Tasted: Aug 2015

Quite sweet and barley’d on the nose with menthol, iodine and herbal/ medicinal peat coming through powerfully.

The palate mirrors the nose in being quite sweet and fruity witth barley and vanilla. As the oak is quite prominent the medicinal and iodine notes are a lot subtler. Lightly earthy and salty with hints of herbal spice. Long with lingering medicinal and earthy peat.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 2000 (15 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0262/ DL10791

Dist: June 2000 Btl: Jun 2015/ Tasted: May 2016

Full and quite toffee’d on the nose with sweet orange, brine and dusty, sweet peat. Very sweet and very oak dominated.

The palate is not as sweet as the nose suggests and shows more dusty peat with sweet barley, milky oak, cinder toffee and pepper. It continues in the sweet vein with lingering honey, oak, agave-like pulped white fruit and pepper.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 2004 (15 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0811/ DL13452

Dist: Sept 2004 Btl: Sept 2019/ Tasted: Nov 2019

An intense, ashy and briny nose with bonfire smoke, green wood and underlying sweet honey and vanilla. Subtly tarry with the oak building and becoming very creamy. This is the oakiest ‘phroaig I’ve had in ages. With time a touch of tamarind juice, smoked ham and butter

The palate is crisper and less oaky. It opens with ashy peat, bonfire embers, lime, salt and subtle medicinal notes. The oak comes through on the middle along with a touch of honey. The ashy peat, lemon and salt returns on the finish and lingering along with some black pepper and sweeter, heathery peat. Lovely progression!

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 2004 (15 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0849/ DL13743

Dist: Sept 2004 Btl: Nov 2019/ Tasted: Jan 2020

The nose is fairly mature and oily with sweet-ish peat, bog myrtle, vanilla, ash, shell fish, tarred rope and burnt wood embers. Lovely complexity and pleasantly fresh with citrus notes balancing  the heavier oily/ tarry character.

The palate is fresh and citric with plenty of lemon and lime. Peat dust, coal smoke, charcoal, bog myrtle, seaweed and vanilla follow along with some underlying sweet barley and fruit. Long and continuing sweetly peated and citric with a subtle salty and vanilla oak finish.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Laphroaig 1998 (18 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0418/ DL11634

Dist: Dec 1998 Btl: Mar 2017/ Tasted: Jun 2017

A pungent but mellow nose of tarry, medicinal peat and a lovely fresh coastal character. Hints of barley, malt and cereal beneath give it depth and with time it becomes a little ashy with a touch of manure and softer peat.

Sweeter on the palate with more barley and hints of creamy vanilla. Very subtle, tarrry and earthy peat along with some gentle medicinal notes come through on the middle. Very mouth-filling with a rampant, salty and sooty finish and a touch of Talisker-esque pepper in the after-taste.

Douglas Laing Provenance Laphroaig 2005 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Hogshead/ Code: PRV1220/ DL11363

Dist: Nov 2005 Btl: Aug 2016/ Tasted: Sept 2016

The nose is fishy, briny and oily with a good depth of balancing barley and hints of smoked kippers. Lightly medicinal peat mingles with some drier peat notes and a touch of vanilla.

The palate is full and oily. Possibly a little simple with barley, vanilla, peat smoke and a touch of brine. Long and remaining sweet with subtle medicinal notes and an ashy finish.

Douglas Laing Provenance Laphroaig 2004 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1217/DL11606

Dist: Sept 2004 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Apr 2017

A pungent and medicinal nose. Quite seaweedy with fisherman’s friends, iodine and hints of barley and honey. Lightly mentholated with time along with a touch of peat smoke.

The palate opens with sweet barley, ash, peat dust and a touch of citrus. Lovely, sweet/ sour balance with a lightly medicinal and seaweedy middle. Faintly astringent and ashy finish with a touch of sweet parma violets, barley and salt.

Dewar Rattray Laphraoig Tasting Notes

Dewar Rattray ‘Cask Collection’ Williamson 2011 (6 year old) 61.1%

Sherry Cask 130/ Dist: Apr 2011 Btl: Nov 2017/ Tasted: Dec 2017

The nose is robust and full with coffee, malt and dry peat. Hints of bog myrtle, salt and sweet barely emerge. It’s a little spirity, which isn’t a surprise given the abv, but it’s just about contained. With time hints of tar, earth and manure

The palate opens with the sweet barley, dusty peat and hints of vanilla oak. Dense, malty and fruity with hints of citrus, fern and pepper on the middle. Good length with lingering sweet peat and barley.

Water emphasises the oils on the nose and brings out some subtle medicinal notes. The palate has become simpler and less interesting  with hints of violets and unfortunately a slight feinty/ cardboardy note.

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1998 (11 year old) 61.6%

Sherry Cask 80044/ Dist: Mar 1998 Btl: Feb 2010/ Tasted: Mar 2010

A classic nose – briny and phenolic with rubber tar, immense medicinal peat, bog myrtle, hints of coffee and no shortage of alcohol! Oooh pummel my nose with all things Islay! It’s incredibly rubbery – one for the latex fetish lovers!

Oily and youthful, there’s a touch of ‘off the still’ cereal notes, then its heads down for one hell of an Islay rollercoaster! Medicinal peat, iodine and alcohol slam into the palate followed by briny fish and more rubber than Susan Wayland’s wardrobe! Absolutely peated to hell and back, raw, sadistic and a veritable monster! If this was a woman you’d be definitely calling her mistress!

A drop of water sort of calms things down a bit and allows some light coastal fruit; hickory and charcoal to emerge from the rubbery, peaty madness. On the palate it’s still pretty raw and intense; I mean its young Laphraoig for heaven’s sake what more do you expect? – peat, rubber, fish and oils! Although after all that it does finish with a winey, grassy Sauvignon Blanc esque note! In conclusion: Apparently this is from a sherry cask! It must have been a very re-used one!! (Tasted blind)

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1996 (12 year old) 60.3%

Bourbon Hogshead 7290/ Dist: Oct 1996 Btl: Mar 2009/ Tasted: Apr 2009

Big inhalation! ………. Yep, ticks all the right boxes. Very oily with youthful coastal seaweed peat and fresh menthol. Wakes the senses up a treat! There’s some rubber, herbs and coal tar soap to offset the coastal astringency.

In the mouth there is a lovely sweetness to the malt and barley before it dives into the expected medicinal peat and coal tar. Very leafy with bog myrtle, iodine and menthol. Extremely intense. The alcohol wades in on the end but it can’t subdue it’s glorious peaty-sweetness and late hints of wood and hickory. This must be the sweetest Laphroiag I’ve ever tasted

Water ramps up the manure, bog myrtle peat and pure brine (if that’s possible!) On the palate the crumbly, pure, oily peat is divine. It’s still quite a sweety and the finish is pure coal dust and herbs. Lovely! But hold on we’re not finished yet, there’s a late soupcon of banana skins and white fruit amid the rampaging coastal notes. Only an Islay could give you this kind of ride! So good I’m going to have to do it again!

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1997 (13 year old) 58%

Bourbon Cask/ Sherry Cask 3329

Dist: Apr 1997 Btl: Aug 2010/ Tasted: Sept 2010

A very beefy, almost Bovril-malty nose followed by lots of earthy, slightly medicinal peat, bog myrtle, seaweed and fish. Very rounded and full-on with slabs of phenolic coastal peat. However this is not one-dimensional, the oak adds to the feeling of fullness without adding any real noticeable vanillins.

Like the nose, the palate is full and rounded. Now there are plenty of wood notes and alcohol! Pure, phenolic and fishy with a lovely sooty-peated middle accented by an iodine twang. Lovely intensity and length with the quite a barley sweet peat finish and an almost honeyed after taste.

With water the aromas are more classically Laphroaig now. Very herbal and fishy with no shortage of peat. On the palate there is less oak and honey and like the nose more of the fishy, peaty spirit. Still very long with some tarry notes at the end.

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1998 (13 year old) 63.9%

Sherry cask 80017 (part)/ Dist: Mar 1998 Btl: Apr 2011/ Tasted: May 2011

The nose opens with some barely discernable, gentle nutty-sweet sherry before being swamped by the expected phenols arriving with a briny, peaty, fishy, ruubery bog myrtly wave. It seems a bit more mature than 13 with some burnt wood and coffee notes.

The palate opens with some sweet parma violets, dusty/ gritty peat and alcohol! Damn that’s an alcoholic hit! When your eyes have finished watering there’s some leafy bog myrtle and smoky, dusty, tarry peat left. I can’t discern much in the way of sherry character, although there is maybe a touch of sweetness at the end and maybe a hint of tropical white stone fruit.

With water it all goes a bit Pete Tong! It has turned into a sugary vapidness and where was that sulphur note hiding?? I can’t believe the change and how what appeared to be a damn good dram has fallen apart so dramatically!

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1998 (13 year old) 56%

Bourbon Cask 10475/ Dist: 1998 Btl: 2012/ Tasted: July 2012

A deep nose of crushed apricot with some gentl-ish peat and salinity. There is a bit of a prickle from the alcohol, but it seems to accentuate the herbal, bog myrtle notes though. Slightly medicinal and with time it becomes more coastally astringent.

The palate is like the nose, full of juicy apricot along with a touch of satsuma. The alcohol arrives fairly promptly bringing with it the bog myrtle and herbal notes. Relatively gently peated with a dry, slightly coastal finish. This definitely need some water!

With water the nose becomes wonderfully citrusy and a lot more complex. Grapefruit, white peach along become evident along with a Sauvignon blanc-esque grassy note. The peat, as is often the case, has taken a bit of a back seat, but it has become more earthier in style. The palate mirrors the nose in its citrus exuberance. Again, the peat has retreated a tad, but the fruit has a lovely dusting of castor sugar. The peat does however return, briefly on the finish with a more smoky/ earthy dénouement.

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1990 (18 year old) 56.6%

Bourbon Cask 2244/ Dist: Mar 1990 Btl: Apr 2008/ Tasted: May 2008

Oh yeah, a classic nose, it pretty much couldn’t be from anywhere else! I could wax lyrical about this nose all day, safe to say it has all those classic coastal, briny, peaty, kippery, rubbery coastal fruit aromas in fisherman’s bucket loads along with a slight orange/ tangerine note. I love this stuff!

The palate is quiet drying, almost shy I would say but like the nose it’s all there along with a dollop of dry spice. Tasted nest the alcohol dominates, but wow! A drop of water has absolutely no bearing on the intensity, this is fabulous stuff and do I detect a touch of melon? On the palate with the alcohol and raging peat calmed a bit it allows the peppery, rubbery coastal notes to shine. The finish is immense, it just goes on and on and on and…..

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Laphroaig 1990 (19 year old) 56%

Bourbon Cask 2239/ Dist: Mar 1990 Btl: Jun 2009/ Tasted: July 2009

A simply excellent nose! Oily, coastaly and fishy, with fresh menthol, bog myrtle-peat, rubber and a touch a beautifully perfumed orange fruit. The peat builds steadily and over time there are hints of light coffee, camphor and sweet liquorice emerging.

The palate is oily and sooty with a bucket full of coal dust and peat. Yet it is gentle and the palate flows into a fishy, menthol, bog myrtle/ camphor/ leafy middle. Oooh that’s intense and tongue coating. It finishes with a lovely fishy/ rubberiness and an impression of sweet fruit beneath the peat, leaving an almost Sauvignon-blanc like grassy after taste.

A drop of water emphasises the fruit and that Sauvignon-blanc like grassy detected on the palate appears along with a hint of white flowers. The palate has become a touch sweeter, more rounded and the crumbly peat takes on a wonderful sweet sheen. Superb length with an almost perfumed finish and sooty after taste.

Cadenheads Laphroaig Tasting Notes

Cadenheads ‘Duthies’ Laphroaig 11 year old 46%

Bourbon/ Btl: 2009/ Tasted: Aug 2010

A fresh, slightly winey sauvignon blanc-esque nose. Very coastal and showing a good maturity along with some structured oak beneath. Good complexity with hints of bog myrtle peat and smoke.

The palate is gentle and winey but with a lovely freshness and a piquant coastal middle. Good depth of sweet fruit and a touch of peat. Good length with a soupcon of peat. In conclusion it is very pleasant, showing a greater degree of maturity than I would have expected.

Cadenheads ‘Duthies’ Laphroaig 11 year old 46%

Re-Evaluated: July 2015

Quite a dusty nose with earth, peat and a touch of musty cardboard. Lightly oiled with developing medicinal peat, granulated sugar and vanilla

The palate is quite slow to start. Soft, earthy and lightly peated with coal dust, malt and vanilla. Quite dense but relatively straightforward. Finally, it comes alive on the finish as a touch of coastal astringency appears along with some medicinal peat.

Berry Brothers Laphroaig Tasting Notes

Berry Bros & Rudd ‘Berrys’ Own Selection’ Laphroaig 1990 (18 year old) 55.6%

Bourbon Cask 2248/ Dist: 1990 Btl: 2008/ Tasted: Sept 2008

A lovely nose. Luxurious and oozing sticky toffee and coffee aromas. Mellow and deep with gentle peat, earth, bog myrtle and undergrowth. Develops a late rubbery note. An exquisite mature Islay nose. Water emphasises the decaying vegetation and rubbery notes.

The palate is very similar to the nose with sticky toffee and coffee flavours to begin. It has a wonderful creamy texture with delicate peat and medicinal notes. The alcohol masks and dries it out, however water kills the intensity and homogenises somewhat.

An excellent mouthwatering coastal fruit finish wonderfully flecked with delicate mature peat. Water emphasises the smoke and brings out a winey note. Lovely and mature, but still retaining a lively edge to it. Very intense and probably best without water.

Berry Bros & Rudd ‘Berrys’ Own Selection’ Laphroaig 1998 (12 year old) 58.9%

Bourbon Cask 700254/ Dist: 1998 Btl: 2010/ Tasted: Oct 2011

A very phenolic nose. Briny and fishy with some seriously nose prickling alcohol. Pretty intense stuff with the classic rubber and manure-peat notes showing.

The palate is quite oily, youthful and cerealy. To be honest it’s a bit one dimensional, yes there is the expected dusty and sooty peat, but I think this has been bottles a tad too soon as it tastes a lot younger than you would have expected. Medium length with a fairly oily finish.

With water the nose becomes quite grassy and now some fishy, white fruit has emerged. On the palate it’s rather homogenous and quite sugary. In fact, it does become a tad too sweet. Its ok, but I’ve tasted a lot more interesting bottlings of ‘phroaig than this one.

Laphroaig Distillery Bottlings Tasting Notes

Laphroaig No Age Statement ‘Pedro Ximinez Finish’ 48%

Travel Retail 1ltr/ Matured in Maker’s Mark casks then 7-9 months in quarter casks, followed by 12 months maturing in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

Tasted: Aug 2012

A pungent, oily nose of rock pools, rubber, brine and plenty of pure marzipan. Lightly medicinal peat with a touch of tar along with some youthful cereal notes. Very full and rounded with a late manure and earth note. Very entertaining with the PX cask adding a slight sweetness which is definitely in the background and adds a sweetness and fullness top the nose.

The palate is soft and quite sweet and sticky with gentle, slightly medicinal; peat, bog myrtle and salt cutting through the oak and PX sweetness. Quite dense and softly fruited with a touch of spice. Long, slightly mouth-watering finish with a serious herbal finale. It has a reasonable degree of alcohol, 46%?, probably 10-12 year old Laphroaig or a vatting as there feels like there is some mature spirit at its core [tasted blind] Good length with the peat smoke entwined with the sweet PX fruit. Quite a sticky finish which is almost but not quite cloying. As it was tasted blind I didn’t realise it was a PX finish as it is well integrated and came across as quite a sweet ‘phroaig!

Laphroaig ‘Au Cuan Mor’ 48%

Travel retail/ First Fill American oak, finished in European oak

Tasted: Feb 2013

Oh dear. One sniff tells you that all is not right with this bottle. It’s earthy and dirty with a plastic/ sulphur note. Yes there is some sweet peat and the usual ‘phroaig notes, but this is not good spirit, which they have tried to hide by using some tainted sherry butts.

The palate is flat and caramelised with burnt wood and some metallic sulphur notes. Murky, hot and sharp with some sweet peat and parma violets. Very bitter and coal dusty finish with gritty smoke and peat. It’s not pretty!

Laphroaig An Cuan Mor 48%

Code: L323157B/ Btl: 2013/ Tasted: Dec 2014

The nose displays heavy treacle and molasses with a herbal rye-like note. Huge, chunky sherry with a generous helping of sooty spice and peat. The nose is just about balanced although the sherry has the upper hand. With time hints of linseed oil and violets appear.

A big mouthful of chewy, molassed sherry with hints of violet and salt. Underneath the peat rumbles and begins to force a way through. With time the sherry shows an almost Manzanilla-like nuttiness. Very long and nutty with the peat smoke playing second fiddle to the sherry. In conclusion: A pleasant peated, sherried Islay but the sherry is a little too dominating.

Laphroaig Select 40%

First Fill Bourbon, Oloroso, Pedro Ximinez and Quarter Casks

Tasted: Sept 2014

Soft aromas with an obvious sherry influence of coffee coated, dried citrus fruit. Gently peated and sooty with a light medicinal note and hints of iodine and cabbage water. A touch of youthful spirit can be detected and with time the creamy American oak comes through.

The palate opens with some heavy caramel oak notes and some burnt toffee. The peat is struggling to get through the weight of sweet vanillins. The rich sherry sits in the background but it’s adding to the overwhelming oakiness. Given all the oak there isn’t a huge amount of complexity here and the palate feels watery and under-powered. Medium length with the peat smoke finally coming through and the oak bittering a little. Conclusion…. Underwhelmed.

Laphroaig Select 40%

Re-Tasted: Dec 2014

The nose is pleasantly deep, opening with fresh but sweet barley, squashed apricot fruit and a touch of straw. Lightly medicinal with dusty, herbal peat and a touch of oak.

Soft, if a little watery on the palate. The oak is a little more assertive and milky and the fruit has an almost tropical sheen. Hints of barley, coffee, very light peat and heathery herbs appear. Long with the dusty peat lingering along with the light medicinal notes. Pleasant cocoa powder after-taste. In conclusion: Wonderfully fresh. However I think it would have benefited from being bottled at a higher abv.

Laphroaig Lore 48%

Created by distillery manager John Campbell – A vatting of 7-21yr spirit aged in First Fill Sherry, Quarter Casks and re-used peated casks.

Code: L6145MB1/ Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Apr 2016

The nose is thick, tarry sherry, moist, smoke infused, malty fruitcake with hints of wood, orange/ tangerine and sea air. Slightly nutty with developing walnut and pecan notes.

The palate displays burnt wood, earthy peat and thick treacle. Malty and smoky with some drying tannins, which are balanced by the moist fruitcake. Beautiful, pure, peat dust coats the tongue along with a touch of salt. Quite drying and salty on the finish with lingering notes of citrus rind, green nuts, green wood and bitter dark chocolate, but a thread of treacle adds balancing sweetness. In conclusion: Wood+Peat+Treacle = An entertaining mouthful!

Laphroaig Triple Wood 48%

Aged in Bourbon oak then quarter casks. Finished in European Sherry.

Tasted: Apr 2010

Quiet a leafy nose, both from the subtle Sherry cask influence and the bog myrtle. Faintly astringent and coastal. It’s not long before the American oak wades in adding its creamy vanillins to the coastal peat and youthful rubberiness.

The palate begins like the nose with the leafy sherry and a shed load of herbs and bog myrtle. This is followed by the intense coal dust, peat and waves of astringent coastal salty goodness. The sherry finish sort of blunts the raw edges, whilst the quarters adds there particular brand of rounded fruitiness. Superb length with a late mocha/ coffee note and the returning charred wood embers and peat.

Laphroaig Triple Wood 48%

Re: Tasted: Dec 2014

Obvious sherry aromas straight off the bat along with dense, chunky toffee’d American oak, which blankets the peat somewhat. Hints of tar, citrus attempt to emerge but the oak has really sweetened the aromas.

The palate is big, sweet and glossy with plenty of toffee’d American oak and nutty sherry overlaying the dusty peat smoke and earth. The sherry develops hints of burnt raisins and could easily be mistaken for Pedro Ximinez. A touch of tarred rope and rubber comes thorough on the finish which attempts to hide the slight blemish. Very dry, dusty, cocoa powder after-taste with the sherry sweetness still lingering at the edges.

Laphroaig Triple Wood 48%

Code: L90232025/ Btl: 2019/ Tasted: June 2019

A nutty and medicinal nose with plenty of polished sherried dried fruit, tar, rich dark honey and hints of vanilla. The peat becomes slightly earthy in character and with time a touch of soft, coffee’d tannin appears.

The palate opens with dusty and slightly gritty peat and plenty of sherried dried fruit. A touch of balancing vanilla comes through along with tight grainy tannins, tar, smoke, medicinal herbs and some lighter, sultanary dried fruit. Long, smoky and medicinal with nutty oak notes, dry peat smoke, coffee and astringent coastal notes.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask 48%

Tasted: July 2005

Clean, young and very pungently peaty with iodine, coal tar, coastal rubber bonfires, sawdust and an almost sherried sweet orange fruitiness.

Dry, med bodied, rubber tyres burning on a coastal bonfire, an unsubtle roar of peat (lots of it!) and coal tar, and hints of bog myrtle and alpine grass, yet its time in small casks has definitely rounded the edges. Is there some sherry cask malt in the blend

Laphroaig Quarter Cask 48%

Code: L12 445 1B/ Btl: 2012/ Tasted: Mar 2013

A lovely soft nose showing plenty of creamy vanillins followed by the typical medicinal, iodine and peat. Full and rounded with the salty notes balancing the rich oak. With time a lightly smoked meat and a touch of soy emerges along with hints of earth/ manure.

Quite full and like the nose displaying a fair amount of lightly creamy, sweet oak vanillins, but some slightly sweetened barley is noticeable. The medicinal, seaweed, iodine and peat comes a rollin’ in with waves of delicious, mouth-watering Islay-ness! Lovely length with a smoky, tarred rope, light Bovril, creosote and peat smoke finish. Quite a dry finish with some light bittering from the oak and plenty of salt and spice. A lovely sweet ‘phroaig.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask 48%

Code: L7086MB1/ Btl: 2013/ Tasted: Sept 2013

An intense and briny nose which is slightlky soapy with hints of manurey-peat and sweet oak. Probably not as heavy on the oak as previous bottlings but it adds a pleasant sweetness to the aromas. Gently peated with seaweed and medicinal notes.

The palate opens with a lovely wave of coal smoke and dry peat. Astringent, briny coastal notes arrive and the middle is dryer and woodier than the last bottle I tasted. Very intense, fresh, mouth-watering middle with seaweed, light iodine and earthy-peat. Good length with just a touch of vanilla. It lacks the sweetness of previous bottlings and thus the finish is somewhat puckering! But it’s still very enjoyable.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask 48%

Re-Tasted: Feb 2014

A very manurey nose with plenty of earth, brine and decaying grass. Richly oaked and pretty sweet with hints of fleshy apricot and light medicinal notes. That richness is almost akin to being aged in a refill sherry cask.

The palate is soft and round, again the oak puts in an appearance early on but there’s plenty of lightly earthy/ medicinal peat, apricot, brine, iodine and mouth-watering citrus. Lovely depth and balance with a lingering herbal/medicinal finish.

Laphroaig Cairdeas Origins 51.2%

Bourbon Casks and Quarter Casks

Btl: 2012/ Tasted: Nov 2012

I believe this is a 50:50 vatting of 13 to 21 year old spirit matured in Bourbon Casks with 7 year old spirit aged in Quarter Casks. It’s an interesting if slightly curious nose. By ‘phroaig standards it’s very subtly peated and fairly heavy on the creamy oak, which maybe dampening the peat to certain extent. However it still has plenty of iodine, fish, brine and midnight violet notes. You can definitely see the core of mature spirit at work here along with the younger spirit adding a touch of creamy barley and porridge oats.

The palate is soft and creamy as the oak shows first. It certainly has a mature fullness along with a fresh, youthful edge. Like the nose the peat is slightly blunted but does show some medicinal character along with notes of barley, iodine and tar on the middle. The oak grips and bitters the finish. Along with the salinity it makes for a rather dry ending. In saying all of that it is still a very enjoyable dram.

Laphroaig 10 year old (green stripe) 55.7%

Sherry/ Btl: ?/ Tasted: Sept 2006

Full on peaty and saline aromas, followed by rich sherried fruit. Very complex for its age and definitely ‘in yer face’.

Awesome palate, rich and fruity with young medicinal peat smoke, bog myrtle, herbs, salt and coal tar. The depth of fruit is stunning and intense with an immense concentration. Lovely finish with the phenols, tar and peat melding into a complex mouth full.

Laphroaig 10 year old 40%

Code: 44-TLLL0114/ Tasted: Jan 2021

The nose kicks off with sooty, phenolic and medicinal peat. Beneath the rich spirit character is evident along with a touch of toffee, apricot, Satsuma, earth, baked bread and spice.

The palate is lighter than the nose suggests and shows fresher, crisp coastal notes to begin followed by soot, earth and phenolic peat. It fills out on the middle as the oak arrives bringing oily marzipan, along with a touch of rich apricot and orange. Long with charred oak, liquorice, seaweed, brine, bog myrtle and camphor in the finish. Salty, astringent after-taste with a touch of cocoa powder.

Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength 57.8%

Sherry. Batch 001/ Btl: Feb 2009/ Tasted: Apr 2009

The rubber and peat oil aromas fight like hell to get through the omnipresent herbal sherry. It takes awhile to get to grips with this nose, but you are rewarded with a good complexity of briny dried fruit, toffee and banana. There’s a vague whiff of youthful cereal, which nestles just under all the sherry, but said sherry cask really holds back the phenolics.

On the palate thankfully the sherry plays second fiddle to the leafy, bog myrtle peat, menthol and tar, but it’s not long before the wood attempts to fight back. Intensely sooty on the middle with a faint rubberiness and plenty of windswept briny coastal characteristics. The alcohol provides a breath taking, tongue tingling experience, but at this strength there’s not much of a finish to talk about.

With water the sherry is pushed into the background as the peat takes centre stage along with some herbal accented orange and tangerine. The palate is sweeter, more candied and gentler. Mouth filling and soft, the rich sherry tarries awhile longer before drifting off into a tarry, salt encrusted, coastal finale.

Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength 55.3%

Sherry. Batch 003/ Btl: Jan 2011/ Tasted: Mar 2012

Quite a subtle nose, along the lines of Batch 001. The sherry certainly holds the phenolics in check and it is the cask sweetness which is at the forefront. Rich and quite malty with some oily banana, cocoa and charred wood amidst the developing briny, phenolic peat. Superb complexity with hints of bog myrtle, seaweed, earth and some youthful cereal.

Flavours of wet tar and creosote hit the tongue first followed by mentholated, medicinal peat and ooh look more tar! The palate is the reverse of the nose with the sherry wood playing second fiddle, mind it does fight back with some pleasant leafiness. It moves into a slightly rubbery, charred wood middle before descending into a salt encrusted finish. You’ve just gotta love this stuff!

Water mutes the nose a touch and its shows a lot more of its oily side. It’s possibly a touch on the sugar coated side now. The palate is sootier and gentler and the sherry character is more prevalent and keeps the rampant peat in check. It’s a lot sweeter now and like the nose it has a definite candied dénouement. The wood does impart a bit more of an over bitterness to the finish, so personally I would drink this neat.

Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength 57.2%

Sherry. Batch 005/ Btl: Feb 2013/ Tasted: Dec 2014

The nose is dense and honeyed but quite tightly wound and a little unyielding. Hints of white fruit, rhubarb, barley, gritty spiced peat and burnt wood. With time the oak becomes quite creamy. Water freshens, lessens the oak and brings out a hint of salt.

The palate is again quite tight but honeyed. Lightly mentholated with dusty, tarry peat and plenty of sweet oak. The peat becomes quite medicinal on the middle. Dilution makes it a little watery and flat. Good length with the peat coming through by the shovel full! In conclusion: An odd one. Neat it is a quite tight, but water doesn’t really do it many favours!

Laphroaig 15 year old 43%

Tasted: Aug 2006

Rich and fruity aromas, quite heavy and oily with mature peat smoke, iodine, and kippers. Lovely complexity, phenolic and slaty with a hint of bog myrtle and rubber wellies!

On the palate it is rich and fruity, again with mature peat smoke, iodine, kippers and rubber. Lovely depth, with a soft intensity. Oodles of coastal fruit on the middle and a long lingering finish with hints of bog myrtle.

Laphroaig 15 year old (200^th Anniversary Release) 43%

Code: L5245MB1/ Btl: 2015/ Tasted: July 2015

Quite mature aromas of violet tinged earthy peat, dusty American oak, barley, liquorice, coffee and gentle spices. Stunningly deep and aromatic with a light coastal nuance.

The palate is initially quite sweet and like the nose quite violety with just a distant echo of peat. Dusty American oak notes build on the middle joining the beautiful mature malt. Again a light coastal nuance balances the sweetness. Wow! What a finish! Now the salt really kicks in but the oak and violety peat lingers. In conclusion: That is a damn fine old Islay malt. Beautifully mature but still alive and kicking. If this isn’t from Bowmore then I’m a monkey’s uncle! (Tasted Blind)

Laphroaig 18 year old 48%

Tasted: July 2009

The deep burnished gold colour gives a clue to its age. A simply stunning nose with the maturity evident from the start. Slightly honeyed fruit, earth, straw, iodine and gentle medicinal peat waft from the glass. Slightly smoky with a perfumed vanilla note on the edge. Given some time aromas of cod liver oil along with hints of bog myrtle and camphor emerge.

The palate is quiet oily, opening with the cod liver oil, vanilla and mature, gently sweet fruit. This is followed by waves of subtle, crumbly, pure peat, whilst the elevated level of alcohol gives it a freshness and bite to the mid palate. Mature, gentle and mellow with a very long salty/ coastal finish, leaving behind a faint iodine after taste.

Interesting to see that time has expunged the fishy and tarry notes of youth, but it has gained a lovely, gentle fruity mellowness.