Review by: ZoidbergOnTheRocks
Two Laphroaig 10’s of different eras. It’s always fun to compare new to old to see what’s changed, and it’s been a while since I’ve put these two side-by-side. Tasted on 8/14/2020, neat in a Glencairn.
Laphroaig 10 Year “Pre-Royal Warrant” bot. < 7/1991
This is a bottle of Laphroaig 10 from before the distillery got their royal warrant from Prince Charles in 1994. I received it with the original receipt dated 7/1991, so it was bottled before that. There’s no further evidence on the bottle to get more precise than that, so we can assume some 1980-ish distillate. The tin it came in is in the picture. Bottled at 40%, we can assume it’s chill-filtered. No statement on added color, but I think it’s safe to say it’s got some E150a in there.
Distillery: Laphroaig
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 40.0%
Age: 10 years old
Nose: subtle medicinal, smoke, wet earthy peat, clean sea spray, sweet, fresh fruit (nectarines, apricots), wax, fatty salmon.
Taste: smoke, ash, sweet fruit, salt, very mild pepper, iodine. It’s much bigger than the nose would suggest.
Finish: ah, excellent! Lingering earthy peat smoke, sweetness of the nectarines pops, it’s even bright. Light medicinal, light taste of the sea, lingers nicely both the smoke and those sweet, bright fruits. Not a hint of bitterness.
This is delicious, and quite different from the current bottlings. All of the typical flavors are there, the smoke, medicinal notes, and the sea. But there’s a brightness to it, lovely fresh fruits, the sea is clean and crisp, the peat earthier. It’s a shame they bottled this at just 40%; the mouthfeel is a bit thin and it’s one of those cases where you just know it would be stellar if it had been presented at a better ABV and without filtering & color.
Final Score: 82.
This is a standard, relatively recent bottling of Laphroaig 10 bought in 2015 or so.
Distillery: Laphroaig
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 43.0%
Age: 10 years old. Bottled in 2017.
Nose: smoke, peat, ashy, sooty, iodine, bandaids, dirty sea foam, some sweetness, smells like “classic laphroaig” in terms of what I became accustomed to over the past 15 years.
Taste: big smoke, ash, burning bandaids, rubber, tar, sweetness.
Finish: smoke, ash, the smoldering ruins of a hospital, somewhat bitter as it goes on. Smoke is predominant. Shorter than the older one.
This is that classic Laphroaig combination of smoke, bandaids, and the sea that we all know and love. It’s a bonfire on a stormy beach in a bottle. It’s unique, and why I’m never without one. And though I do love this, I have to admit that it’s the very definition of a 5: “Good, just fine.” There are significantly better expressions of Laphroaig, and it’s kind of a simple one-trick pony.
Final Score: 77.
Comparison
Order: Pre Royal Warrant > Current
There’s been some interesting changes in the roughly 24 years between these bottles. You’d pick both of them out as Laphroaig instantly, to be sure, but there’s a subtlety to the older bottling that is really a step above. The peat is earthier, the fruit brighter, and the sea cleaner. For instance, I’d describe the sea notes of the old one as that clean spray you get off a wave on a sunny day, whereas the new one is more like that dirty brown foam you get sometimes floating on the surface or at the margins as it washes ashore. If they could bring the old one back and bottle it well it would be amazing, but I’m sure that’s just a dream.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 