Review by: The Muskox

Mmmm, old Islay whisky. This is another review I’ve been sitting on for a little while – from a “Monsters of Islay” tasting in July. At the time, I took rough notes and managed to save a small amount for a second glass. I enjoyed that glass just a couple days ago, and was able to take some more notes and solidify an opinion.

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Distillery: Laphroaig.

Bottler: Elixir.

Region: Islay.

ABV: 51.2%. Cask strength.

Age: 27 years.

Cask type: First-fill bourbon barrel.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: 1.1, Burnished. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Strong and salty, with surprisingly juicy fruit. Banana, strawberry, grapefruit, and mango. Heavy cask flavours of cinnamon, toasted oak, birch beer, wet earth. It’s savoury and salty, but the actual smoke is rather light. Soy sauce and bacon, and a little iodine.

Palate: Powerful arrival with fragrant fruit and mineral smoke. Salty beaches, strawberry and kiwi. Develops rapidly to strong and scented oak, oolong tea, jasmine, and old pencils. Strong bourbon-cask spice and brown sugar. Salted fish and muddy water. Vegetal, peppery, almost a Szechuan tingle. Sour Cherry Blasters!

Finish: Bittersweet. Wet earth, dark chocolate, and cigars. Peach, melon, grapefruit, red licorice. Milk chocolate, caramel and oolong. Graphite and menthol.

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Possible SMWS bottling name: “Motorbike tour down the silk road”

Conclusion: This is a punchier cask than I tend to like for old Laphroaig, and even in this style, I think I’ve had better examples. I’m sure there are those who’d go nuts for this, but I really do prefer Laphroaig of this age on the subtler side. This is especially present in mind for me given my recent experience with that Thompson Bros. bottling…

Final Score: 86.

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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.