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Laphroaig Distillery
Port Ellen, Islay
Argyll
PA42 7DU
+44 1496 302 418

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Owner: Fortune Brands

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Creation date1815

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photos

	Laphroaig
O.B.	10 years	18
	Cask Strength 57,3	18 1/2
	Quarter Cask	19
	15 years	18 1/3
	Vintage 1989, Feis Ile 2007	18
	Cask Strength, 55.7	19
Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar	Hag Rap Oil	18
Cadenhead	12 years, Authentic collection	19
Douglas Laing	Old Malt Cask, 15 years	19
	Old Malt Cask, 16 years
Jean Boyer	Single Cask bottling (hors commerce)	19
Murray McDavid	Leapfrog	18 1/2
Signatory	Un-chillfiltered collection 1988	18 1/3
	Cask Strength 1991	19

 

Laphroaig 10 years
Age	10 years
Alcohol	43°
Particularity	The Malt Heritage Collection
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

 This well balanced and very fine malt is characterized by the peat at the first nosing. The exceptionally complex taste leaves a marvelous remembrance, prolonged by a average long finish. A real classic, which cannot miss in any whisky collection. It's price, more than reasonable, makes it one of the best price-quality ratings.

Peat, but also a kind of spicy freshness characterizes the nose. The palate confirms this, but reveals a great complexity. A kind of medicine? Anyway, the taste is made from several elements, allying liquorice and fruits, peat and salt. A relatively long finish where all the complexity from the palate remains for minutes.

The nose reveals both peat and fruit, a delicious and delicate contrast withs some additional medicinal hints. In the mouth, smoke and peat, medicine, fruits, and contrast between all this elements. A festival for the papillas, but a bit too weak in my opinion. The finish in pleasant, revealing the same contrasts, with however a domination of dry peat.

 

Comments by Jon Saunders

This was a first for me. I was given some history of the Laphroaig Distillery process by a dear friend who warned me advance of my tasting, that the distinct "hospital" smell was a product of formaldehyde produced by the peat. At any rate, that did not spoil my experience.
After nosing the sample I felt an inrush of "hospital" smell if you will, followed by a relaxing smooth aromas I presumed to be peat.
The body of the sample was firm, holding on to the inner walls of the tasting glass for nearly 3.5 seconds before starting to "leg down".
It's rigid yet pleasant texture excited the taste bubs of my tongue and I hardly realized I had swallow it except I started to feel comfortably warm.
I have had limited exposure to the vast number of Single Malt distillers up until this last visit to Europe. I shall add this bottle to my collection in the USA and enjoy it for some time. Thank you for accepting my comments.

Comments by J.L. Zamora

Nose: Smoke and peaty and something how antiseptic or medicinal.
Palate: Confirm the nose smoke and peaty whit a touch op spicy. Whit whater the smoke is more intense. finish.
A little short but delicious.
85/100

Comments by Henrik Johanson

(Version 40%)
Apperance: Pale Copper
Nose: Full, big nose with some smoke and tar. Still, the first impression was of fresh oranges. Freshly aromatic scents. More chemical hints emerge with water, but it's still very pleasant. Overall, the diluted dram is dry, not the most complex but pretty interesting non the less.
Body: Firm and quite oily. Palate: Dryish, fresh, not overly burnt. I recall the 10 y.o. cask strength bottling had a lot more smoke, this one was surprisingly mild. Neat dram is much sweater and also has more smoke and is more mouth filling. I prefer this dram neat.

 

Laphroaig 10 years Cask Strength
Age	10 years
Alcohol	57,3°
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Official
Prix/litre

 

 A the first nosing, all the richness of this exceptional malt (which one loves or detests) is present. It's high alcoholic percentage does not have a bad influence on this robust and single malt, characterized by the strong fragrances of peat and smoke and by its medicinal character. The finish is very long. An excellent malt for all those who like the Islay style, and who are not afraid by a strong whisky.

The nose reveals some medicinal hints, just like ether, mixed with peat and sea salt. The very complex smell is also marked by some sweet note, floral ones. In the palate, all the complexity of this whisky is revealed, and the contrast between the rather sweet fruity tastes with salt and peat is extremely pleasant. What a great bottle.

 

Laphroaig 10 years Cask Strength (red label)
Age	10 years
Alcohol	55,7°
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Official
Prix/litre

A clear nose, marked by a nice maritim freshness, sea spray behind a veil of peaty smoke and nice fruity notes. In the palate, a clear impression of something between peat and wood, with chocolate hints and the traditional medicinal notes of Laphroaig are present too. Very complex, from unripe walnut to the powerful sweetness of peaty malt. A very nice finish too, lingering and warm, with spicy notes appearing minutes later. This version is clearly better than the preceding release.

 

Laphroaig 15 years old
Age	15 years
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

 No surprise in this edition for those who know the smoky and peaty character of Laphroaig. But none of this characteristics are detected immediately in this marvelous malt. The nose reveals very pleasant and complex hints, and I must think at an Edradour at the first tasting, due to its texture and toffee hints. An exceptionally long and pleasant finish makes this malt an exceptional one. An excellent whisky. I recommend it really.

Smoke and peat are obviously present from the very first nosing. However, the smell remains quite fresh, and this announces an exceptional malt. In the palate, a very complex taste, developing form the vanilla sweetness to more bitter notes on a smoky background, and a with some discrete spicy touch. A lingering and pleasant finish reminds some very complex impressions, mixing smoke, spices, malt and something else (tar?). Briefly, a wonderful bottle. A must.

Smoke is very present at the nose, mixed with some marine hints, salted seaweed smells and dry peat. Complex, the nose develops after aeration and new notes, more discrete appear. The peat seems to be accompanied by some more vegetal notes. In the palate, this whisky i pleasant, with notes going from peated smoke to nice woody hints, through some bitter and dry touches. A nice finish, where the bitter character seems to dominate.

 

Laphroaig Quarter cask
Age	no age statement
Alcohol	48°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

The nose is very subtle, and the peat is present without being boring. The sea is nearby, with its salt and its iodine. On the beach, a bucket of abandoned oranges enhances the delicate perfumes this whisky exhausts. In the mouth, the first impression is sweet, but the peat is not far away, neither are spices. Like a layer of prunes above tar. Very nice complexity. A very nice finish as well, where the citrus acidity of the orange gently leaves room to a kind of bitterness, walnuts or coffee grains.

 

Comment by Henrik Johanson

Apperance: Dull Gold... Looks a bit subdued in color somehow. Might just be the moment. Nose: Full nose with lots of dry smokiness, grilled maize and a little scorched paper. Salty. Smoked trout and burnt seaweed. Reduced nose is a little more feinty and vegitative. Quite prickly. With development the dram lends a distinct smell similar to the wooden furniture inside a Finnish sauna. I'm intrigued by this... Lovely! Body: Medium to full. Pretty tight. Palate: Very pleasantly mouthfilling with a medium long finish. A lot more balanced then I expected.

Laphroaig Vintage 1989 Feis Ile 2007
Age	17 years
Alcohol	50.3°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

The nose can be described as being a pleasant and balanced peat feeling without any exaggeration. Very clean. Discrete smoke is rather present as well. Some remote hints of citrus fruit on the background.
The palate is well balanced as well and the first impression is a nice peaty one which develops gently on fresher notes, close to fruity ones but not really. A nice complexity however on a quite limited taste palette, mainly focused on peat.
The finish is long and prolongs perfectly the mouth even if it seems sometimes even more complex.

This is an excellent whisky, but I expected some more of a bottle with such good critics....

 

Laphroaig 1988 Signatory's Un-chill filtered collection
Age	15 years
Alcohol	46°
Cask	matured in a refill sherry butt
Bottler	Signatory
Price/litre

 

A perfect balance between smoke, peat, iodine and certain bush fruits hints, probably due to the sherry maturation, together with a great complexity of fragrances and tastes make this Laphroaig another great   success. A new example of the symbiosis that can exist between the know-how of a wonderful independent bottler and this of one of the most mythic distilleries. A great success, A very great moment in the life of a whisky lover

The second tasting just confirmed the first one. What a great bottle, near perfection, at least for those who appreciate the Laphroaig style.

Iodine and peat, mixed with hints of slightly acid fruits on a smoky background characterizes the slightly medicinal nose. In the palate, smoke appears first, followed by touches of peat and a whirl of fragrances allying leather notes and touches of red berries. The finish starts on peaty hints and develops on slightly acid notes.

A very nice nose where marine, smoky and peaty hints just mix in a perfect balance with some fruity notes. In the mouth, behind the first smoky impressions, some very nice fruity notes, mixed with animal touches develop on a medicinal background. A very nice finish, salted and smoky where some slightly acid hints bring some coloured notes to the whole.

The nose is a mix of peat, sea and animal hints, meat and old leather on a background or slightly acid citrus fruit. In the mouth, the first impression is very fresh and pleasant, a touch of acidity making soon room for smokey, meaty and then peaty hints, and later on, back on citrus acidity (bitter orange). The finish is warm, relatively long, and between dry peat and citrus, between bitterness and salt.

Nice presence of smoke and peat. Behind this veil, some hints of citrus fruit and clear animal notes. The whole is a bit "tired" probably due to the fact this bottle has been open for a very long time.
In the palate this peat, diluted in a mix of orange and plum juice remains pleasant, even if it seems to be less magnificent than it used to be.
The rather long finish reveals notes of coffee and chocolate.
The points attributed this time do not really reflect the pleasure, but the lesser quality is due to oxidation and not to intrinsic quality of this bottle. A lower quote could influence the average appreciation in a negative way, even if I clearly remember this whisky has been very good.

 

Laphroaig 1991 - 12 years Cadenhead's Authentic Collection
Age	12 years
Alcohol	56,2°
Cask	bourbon hogshead
Bottler	Cadenhead
Price/litre

A very promising nose, announcing straight away a nice complexity, where peat and its cloud of smoke mixes with some medicinal fragrances, so typically Laphroaig. Despite the high degree of alcohol, the nose detects absolutely no aggressiveness at all, no tingling feeling. In the palate, a real firework of sensations, alternately dominated by peat and citrus fruits, fragrances of dry earth and nicely salted hints before finally developing on roasted coffee beans . A very nice finish, first very dry and earthy before developing on clear sea notes. A very nice surprise.

The nose consists of subtle peat and smoke hints, with a clear medicinal note, so characteristic of the distillery, the whole mixed with some interesting floral notes. A great freshness! The palate is very complex, with an harmonious alliance of bitterness and acidity, but very nicely perfumed. No monotony. Chocolate hints mixed to seaspray. A dry finish, but so long and complex, developing on more "colourful" notes. A excellent bottle, definitely.

 

Laphroaig 1989 - 15 years Old Malt Cask
Age	15 years
Alcohol	50°
Bottler	Douglas Laing
Price/litre

The nose reveals really a very pleasant "Laphroaig", with just the needed smoke, peat and medicinal impressions, but with some floral hints in addition and a rather clear sea spray impression. In the palate, very nice mixes of smoke and fruits, developing quickly from some stealthy citurs fruit fragrances ot exotic fruits, mango or papaya, discretly hidden behind a veil of peaty smoke. Very nice complexity, allied to a very nice smoothness. The finish prolongs perfectly the mouth. An excellent version of Laphroaig, a bit more "colourful" and less austere than the official version of the same age is

Laphroaig Old Malt Cask 1990 Cask #3885
Age	16 years
Alcohol	50°
Bottler	Douglas Laing
Price/litre

Leapfrog 1987 (Laphroaig)
Age	13 years
Alcohol	46°
Cask	bourbon
Bottler	Murray McDavid
Price/litre

An exceptional nose, very refined and peaty, complex with peated and fruity hints. Citrus fruit are present, although rather discrete (tangerine). In the palate, dry peat with nice subtle woody touches. Smoke and citrus, bitterness and salt. A very long finish, very pleasant where peat remains together with smoke and slightly acid fruits.

A very clear nose with notes of mint, pepper and some meaty hints. A nice complexity. Peat and a veil of smoke hiding some malty notes.
The mouth is close to the nose, complex and pleasant, with citrus notes above the first nosing results. This slightly acid notes make soon room to sweeter ones with a touch of wood before fully revealing the peat, which is taking now an important role the mouth. Alcohol is present too, although not hindering.
The finish is long and very fine. Some discrete medicinal impressions at the end, with nice peaty sniffs.

Laphroaig 1998 (not on sale)
Age	8 years
Alcohol	58,5°
Bottler	Jean Boyer

The nose is first strongly marked by fruity freshness, green apple, before opening the curtain on very marked sea notes. A plate of apples on the beach. Than some nice oily, creamy peat appears. The whole is nicely balanced and generates lots of pleasure. And there is something more, difficult to describe, the little thing unchill filtration conserves in a well grown whisky. A kind of transparent veil covering various well balanced flavours. After a few minutes, a discrete medicinal impression. It remains a Laphroaig...
The mouth is remarkably balanced, first very fruity, developing progressively on peat. Peat impression develops constantly, and never gets too dry while keeping the fruity exuberance of the first nose. A remarkable complexity. Chocolate notes. This is a master piece.
The finish is long and very warm. Nice peat, remains of chocolate, memory of a very great whisky. Just a pity this whisky is not on the market in its cask strength version...

Laphroaig 1991 Signatory's Cask Strength Collection cask# 6978
Age	15 years
Alcohol	52.1°
Cask	Bourbon
Embouteilleur	Signatory
Prix/litre

Wow, what a nose! Very maritime one, sea spray flavoured with fruit essences, an entrancing nose. Peat, but not this undergrowth mouldy flavour which is so common. A very nice oily peat, discrete enough to let nice fruity notes appear, prune and very fine exotic fruits. Very complex, with some hints of medicinal touches, discrete but present. After a while, some mint whiffs appear. The whisky could be nosed for hours, and still deliver constantly new impressions.
The mouth is even rich, but the peat is slightly dominant which makes fruits more discrete. The medicinal character is also much clearer, just to recall it is a Laphroaig... The exuberant character of the nose is not to be found in the palate neither, even if it is absolutely impeccable. Nice complexity, great pleasure. Less impressive than the nose, but this was so perfect that you can not expect a mouth at the level...
The finish is long and warm. Nice whisky for the long winter evenings round a nice wood fire. Peat dominates, dryer than is was in the palate and at nosing. The finish is quite contrasting with the nose. A whisky full of surprises. A marvelous bottle.

Laphroaig 1998 One shot
Alcohol	46°
Bottler	Jean Boyer

Despite its young age, the nose of this Laphroaig already has all the distillery characteristics: clear medicinal smells on a peat smoke and burned tar background. In the mouth, the first impression is dry peat, but it quickly developes on warmer nuances, but still in the smoky and peaty pitches. I'd prefered some more character ou more nuances, just like in some other independent bottlings of this distillery, but the whole is very pleasant. The finish is lingering and pleasant, perfectly in line with the palate impressions. I guess I'd prefered this whisky in cask strength version, but this is the case with so many whiskies....

Laphroaig Daily Dram Hag Rap Oil
Age	9 years
Alcohol	55.5°
Bottler	Daily Dram
Price/litre

A very nicely pleasant peat is the very first impression, followed by nice fruity notes. Peat and fruit seem to merge while the time runs... Merging in a perfect balance. Just a touch of citrus fruit which gives the whole a pleasant freshness. In the palate, smoke, citrus and a touch of peat first, followed by ... peat and chocolate. Very nice mouth, even if the disappearance of the fruits which were present at the nose is a bit frustrating. The finish is relatively long and warm with nice notes of peat and chocolate.

Isle of Islay

The Isle of Islay on the West coast, is by far the most appreciated producing area amongst the single malt lovers. Even if its surface is rather small, there are no less than 8 active distilleries, including a new one.

Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information about the Isle of Islay area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow