Laphroaig 16 Year

Review by: The Muskox

I’ve got some lovely Islay whisky sitting on the tasting rock today! Laphroaig released this whisky last year, presumably to compete in the middle-aged Islay market, which was and still is dominated by Lagavulin 16. Let’s see how this whisky compares!

Distillery: Laphroaig.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Region: Islay.

ABV: 48%.

Age: 16 years.

Cask type: Bourbon barrels.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: Full gold. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

Nose: Strong Laphroaig peat, but tempered somewhat by honeyed sweetness. Roast pork, dried fish, applewood smoke, charred marshmallow, and black pepper. Rosemary, sage, and licorice, as well as mud and tide pools. Sweeter notes of vanilla, banana, cotton candy, and crème brulee. A little bit of chipotle pepper comes out after a bit more rest. Maybe a bit of rosewater.

Palate: Medium-light texture. Sweet and salty on the arrival: more apples, honey, some toffee, and a bit of pineapple. Rich spiced apple cider comes along with the smoke on the development. Ashy and peppery in the middle, with antiseptic, sauteed mushrooms, and pickled ginger. Some dark malty notes in there too, maybe some soy sauce. Citronella and herbs on the back end.

Finish: Somewhat short. Green tea and light herbs. Flamed cinnamon stick, espresso ice cream, chocolate chip banana bread, ginger-spiked honey, and satisfying sweet campfire smoke. A bit more pineapple.

Conclusion: A lovely sipping whisky. The nose is mellow but complex and satisfyingly salty. The palate is fairly mellow, but has lovely spicy and sweet notes, and the finish is mellow and pleasantly herbal and spiced. As you may have gathered, this is a mellow whisky. Don’t expect a peat slap like the 10 CS or Quarter Cask. I was initially disappointed by this, but as I sipped, I really came to appreciate just how pleasant and approachable this is, without skimping too much on the complexity. I’ll probably be buying a bottle if it shows up around here at a nice price.

Final Score: 86.

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.

Leave a comment