Review by: ZoidbergOnTheRocks
A pair of shy Laphroaig, tasted on 9/2/2020, neat in a Glencairn.
This is the (sadly) discontinued 18yr OB expression from Laphroaig. It had replaced the old 15yr, then had a good run, but got replaced by the new 15yr on their 200th anniversary. And now that 15yr is gone too… a shame all around.
Distillery: Laphroaig
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 48.0%
Age: 18 years old. Bottled in 2013.
Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: mild smoke, earthy, sea water, tropical fruits, mango sherbet, it’s all subtle, gentle, and not in your face at all. A bit of bacon, the classic medicinal notes starting to come out, a bit of pepper. A really nice nose that is subtle, though not overly complex.
Taste: nice medium mouthfeel actually, oak, smoke, white pepper, fatty bacon, those tropical fruits are excellent. Salty, medicinal.
Finish: ah, that smoke pops right along with the fruit, some salty seawater, more medicinal notes, actually surprisingly long. A hint of light pepper throughout. If the nose was good, the finish is better! Simple but effective and really pleasant.
This is a subtle Laphroaig that is really quite good. Most of your classic flavors are there, just all of it toned down and I’d say really well integrated. I usually think of, say, Laphroaig 10 as a nice punch in the mouth. This is more refined, no bitterness or off notes to be found, and it wants to be nosed over time and savored. It’s not a very complex dram, but damn is it a fine one. I’ll finish what’s left with my dinner.
I like to give a solid “Fuck you!” to Laphroaig for discontinuing this. What did they give us instead, the Lore or some other mediocre NAS?? Assholes.
Happily I snagged an extra couple of bottles as soon as I heard they were dropping it. Congrats if you did too, it’s great stuff.
Final Score: 87.
This is the 25yr bottled in 2014, this was actually cask strength for this vintage. The 25yr is part of Laphroaig’s standard range, and you can usually find one pretty easily, but they have been pretty variable in IMO. Check reviews for specific years before laying down your hard-earned cash. I’ll also note the price gets pretty marked-up in the US in my experience.
I re-bottled this into smaller 250ml bottles like you see in the picture as it started getting lower. Sorry, I didn’t save the original bottle for a picture. I still have the box, but my wife is using it to hold watercolor brushes and I spaced on it.
Distillery: Laphroaig
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 45.1%, cask strength
Age: 25 years old. Bottled in 2014.
Cask type: Bourbon & Oloroso Sherry Barrels
Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: light clean smoke, a warm rocky beach with seaweed drying in the sun, tropical fruity sweetness, a bit creamy, there is a subtle sherry influence with hints of dark fruit here and there. There’s a smoldering hospital somewhere over the dunes but it’s far, far away. Bacon, a little spice, creme brulee. Some nice complexity here and it is all very subtle. Great balance. Now that it’s gone, I keep re-nosing the empty glass.
Taste: it’s big, smoky, medicinal, more of a citrus fruitiness than tropical, every so slightly drying, salty seawater, a bit of pepper, some sweetness. A bit thinner mouthfeel than the 18. There’s a definite mineralness to it, like rocks from a beach. Much bigger than what you’d expect from the nose, which is excellent.
Finish: long, smoky, salty, briny, earthy. Some of that sweet citrus. Much fainter medicinal notes at this point, some very light pepper lingers with the salt and smoke.
This is very, very good. Much like the 18 it’s all very subtle on the nose, but there’s more complexity and it hits bigger on the mouth. Some nice complexity throughout, and really good length on the finish that makes you want to avoid eating or drinking anything else. Not a heavy sherry influence at all, though you can pick out some sherry notes here and there.
Hey, watch out though. I’ve had some other vintages of Laphroaig 25 that I would not rate nearly as well. I don’t have notes, but I know both the 2013 and 2017 versions of this were not nearly as good.
Final Score: 92.
Comparison
Order: 25 > 18
The 25 is better than the 18, sure, but wow these are both very, very good. The noses are both subtle, but the 25 is more complex all around and has a bigger presentation on the palate and finish than the 18. I really wish they still made the 18.
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 