Seems like I just did a Laphroaig post. Actually it was about two months ago, but I still have that bottle of Quarter Cask sitting in my bar at home, roughly a third full. We've already talked about the ubiquitous 10 and (supposedly discontinued) 15 year old expressions as well, so what gives? Well, I certainly didn't plan it, but sometimes great scotch simply finds you.
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The Pig & Pearl
2053 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA
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Had I realized that 'Ardbog' was not simply a misprint, but actually a limited edition malt that can fetch up to $300 a bottle, I probably would've been all over that. Next time, I suppose. I wanted an Islay peat punch to the face after my last flaccid Speyside experience, Cardhu 12. Plus, I was hoping go home after and compare notes with my Laphroaig QC.
The nose is unquestionably Laphroaig. There may be smokier Islay whiskys, but no other malt has quite that same distinctive aroma of embalming fluid. Having had recent experiences with the Quarter Cask expression, I am perhaps more acclimated than usual to the notorious phenolic severity with which Laphroaig exudes, but the degree to which that pungent medicinal odor had matured into a complex bouquet of aromatic delights was indeed a surprise.
The peat now having been subdued over the extra eight years, other olfactory facets are allowed to shine. Warm, toasty notes of malt, coffee cake, a hay loft in the summertime. Sea salt with a touch of oily fish unctuousness, reminding me how anchovies dissolve when sauted in olive oil when making puttanesca sauce. Even the smoke is elevated in its restraint. After my first sip, an apple/butterscotch sweetness seemed to sneak in on the nose, an appropriate counterbalance to a largely savory overture so far.
When taking your initial sip of a Laphroaig malt, it is normally advisable to brace for impact. Perhaps have an icy cold chaser at the ready (worst case scenario, a tongue scraper) for the uninitiated. Not so with the 18. A billow of smoke for sure, warming and dense, but not as menacing. Peaty aromatics tickle the palate throughout of course. Full bodied malt, creamy vanilla and buttered toast. Definitely more sherry influence than the 10. Mature fruit and floral notes, punctuated by briny tidal spray. Almost syrupy in thickness. Towards the back of the palate, flavors of espresso and dark chocolate open up, as well as spice hits of fennel seed or star anise. What isn't in there?
Beautifully complex, something I've rarely seen in heavily peated malts. Oak starts to peak through on the finish, still smoldering with that seaside clambake smoke. That salt cod note lingers alongside the residual raisin sweetness and licorice spice. It's the peat though that stays behind long after everyone else has left the party. Somebody has to do the dishes. Finish as long as a doctoral thesis, while somehow managing to be warming, coating, and drying simultaneously.
This malt certainly covers all the bases. To me, the Quarter Cask expression is the embodiment of Laphroaig amped up to 11 across the board. Laphroaig 18 however, with its restraint, complexity, and maturity, slaps a tuxedo on that gorilla and teaches it the Argentine tango. Two totally different experiences, yet each immensely satisfying within the framework of its respective motivations. I'd have to give the nod though to the 18 as my favorite Laphroaig, which also puts it in the running for my #1 overall.
Overall Grade: 96/100, solid A
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