Review by: Raygun

The Laphroaig single cask program is fairly new, and here I’ve got a couple of the early ones to hit the US. Should make for an interesting comparison, because both were aged in virgin French oak casks for about eight years: the only difference is medium versus heavy toast. I’m not one of those who goes crazy for Laphroaig in general. I like it, but it’s not my favorite peated Scotch. Rested about 15 minutes. Reviewed from samples.

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Laphroaig 2014 for Zachy’s 

Distillery: Laphroaig 

Bottler: Laphroaig 

Region/style: Islay single malt Scotch 

ABV: 58.6%

Age: Around 8 years. Distilled in 2014 and bottled in 2022.  

Cask type: Virgin French oak medium toast #6058, 275 bottles

Color: 1.2 chestnut. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Not as big a peat wallop as I was expecting from a young Laphroiag. It’s there, of course, but not dominating everything. Caramel, chocolate pot de creme, pepper. Good dose of iodine.      

Palate: That’s more what I was expecting. Big iodine-heavy smoky, boggy peat. Caramel, chocolate, and now a little banana. Toasted seaweed. Some varnish. Lacks some richness compared with the r/Scotch pick.   

Finish: Toasted seaweed, sesame seeds, chocolate, and caramel. Grilled shrimp over a beach bonfire and some swimming pool. Lots of Laphroaig character. Feels a little thin here. 

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Laphroaig 2014 for r/Scotch 

Distillery: Laphroaig 

Bottler: Laphroaig 

Region/style: Islay single malt Scotch 

ABV: 57.9%

Age: Around 8 years. Distilled in 2014 and bottled in 2022.  

Cask type: Virgin French oak heavy toast #1606, 239 bottles

Color: 1.6 mahogany. Major difference in color. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Rum-like in many ways. Caramel, pineapple upside-down cake, even some mango. Very dark toast. Snuffed candle.     

Palate: Again, the peat character presents more on the palate. Grilled shrimp with pineapple and lemongrass. Almost burnt caramel. Tastes sweeter than Zachy’s, with an extra charred richness. The heavy toast is more impactful than I’d have thought.   

Finish: Lots of smoke, charred seaweed, pineapple, and lemongrass. Reminiscent of Thai and Vietnamese barbecue. Yet also a dessert aspect with some baklava.

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Conclusion: Very interesting comparison here with the main variable being the different levels of toasting. Makes a bigger difference than I’d thought. The heavy toast was richer and deeper, with some tropical aspects missing from the medium toast. That was a bit more conventional and closer to other Laphroaigs I’ve had. It also felt a little thin when set against the heavy toast cask. The heavy toast was the clear winner for me. Both are pretty tasty though, and I’m not even a big Laphroaig fanboy. 

Buy a bottle? And here’s the rub. These went for something like $250, which I find ludicrous for an 8 year old whisky, single cask or not. But they’re sold out, so obviously not everyone agrees. Me, I’ll stick with the occasional Cairdeas.

Score:
Zachy’s: 78
r/Scotch: 86

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)