Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength (Batch 12)

Nose: Salty sea air, medicinal notes, kelp, peat smoke, and soil - undeniably phenolic. Peering past that, there are hints of vanilla and brown sugar, alongside some oak. A touch of bitter lemon zest. Wintergreen. Some grassy, "green" flavors reminiscent of raw bell pepper. Toasted black pepper, cardamom. Camphor. Licorice. It's clearly a Laphroaig, but amplified. As it warmed and I adjusted, a subtle banana-like fruit emerged beneath it all. Also detecting notes of lemon pepper, which, if you've encountered the pre-mixed kind, you know it's more than just lemon and pepper. There's an underlying funk too, like the scent of a deep hole dug at the beach during an extremely low tide, found in the exposed tide pools. It also has a freshly mown lawn quality. Despite being 60% ABV, it isn't as aggressive as I anticipated. Palate: Salty brine, vanilla, brown sugar. Medicinal notes, kelp. Smoke, earth, phenol. Oak. Black pepper, nutmeg, anise, cinnamon. Camphor, thyme, basil. Consistently ashy. Mint, chocolate. Lightly aromatic pipe tobacco. Sweet orange, bitter lemon. While a standard Laphroaig 10 is perceived as sweet, delicate, and approachable, this comes across as rich and substantial. Though "darker" in character, it's not "dark" in flavor. There's a dusty leather/old book sensation. Once again, this is unmistakably Laphroaig amplified. Ripe fruits. The high oil content means each sip builds upon the experience. Tastes of warm apple pie, roasted bell peppers, and the alcohol's effervescence. It's quite well-balanced across the entire palate. Medium body. Finish: The ethanol has been present throughout, but with each sip, a bright peppery sensation appears. This is accompanied by mint, citrus oils, cocoa, and sweet basil. Earthy, ashy, phenolic notes are also prominent. Rich chocolate and cream paired with chipotle powder and smoked paprika, evoking the finest Mexican hot chocolate imaginable. The salty brine and medicinal notes follow, along with more mint and fruit. Imagine strawberry shortcake topped with macerated strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream, and a sprig of mint. We're left with a beautiful blend of sweet pipe tobacco, chocolate, leather, brine, barrel, vanilla, and brown sugar. The excellent oil content contributes to a lengthy finish. Other notes: Seeing this on the shelf generated excitement. I managed my expectations to avoid significant disappointment, but it's outstanding. It delivers exactly what you'd hope for – a big, bold, concentrated essence of a cigar-smoking mermaid's bathwater. While I generally favor Ardbeg's offerings, with Laphroaig a distant second, this expression approaches the richer, denser qualities I appreciate. And due to its proof and oil content, experimenting with water addition will unlock further flavors and provide ample exploration. I truly like this. Immensely. It's easily my preferred Laphroaig to date.

Kind of surprised this one hadn't been reviewed yet, but it was a fortunate oversight that I was drinking it and then checked. It's also good news that this bottle improved significantly after being a bit off initially and even after a few pours. Yes, I got this for 53 bucks, which had to have been a system error in Ohio, but it's nice to get a win in a state that's been delivering losses lately on the scotch front for over a year. Nose - I'm borrowing some notes from another reviewer here. The word phenol is usually absent from my reviews, but this expression truly defines it. You get all the seaweed brine and smoky ash you could desire. Iodine and that classic medicinal goodness are present. What's intriguing are the bell peppers (hat tip), brown sugar, vanilla (more like extract), and even some green apple. Taste - Similar to the above, these are the classic Laphroaig peat notes. I still detect that bell pepper, which I will now actively seek out in whiskies; it's just so prominent and in-your-face. The sweetness isn't like a Quarter Cask's heavy vanilla, but rather fruity for a Laphroaig, with apple and lemon, and even a hint of orange peel. The finish is all about spices, and there are so many. I've noticed I often pick up on cardamom, and I'm getting it here, along with perhaps cinnamon and nutmeg, but there's much more happening in that spectrum. The overall profile is of a young, spicy, hot, and assertive whisky, crafted with as much complexity and intensity as one could hope for. I'm sure I've had superior 10 Cask Strength expressions from this distillery. However, I'm not certain I've encountered such a bold and assertive version of any whisky that maintained this level of complexity and nuance. Sure, a Booker's is big and bold, but it's boring and basic. This isn't that. Oh, wait, I forgot to mention wintergreen earlier. I'm tasting it now on my gums; it was present in the nose and taste. Sorry, back to the narrative (this one lingers). This bold, spicy, and incredibly intense experience isn't diminished by water. It certainly allows you to perceive a bit less bite, but there's still genuine complexity in this whisky. You do start to notice its youth and the less-than-perfect oak integration, and the flaws emerge on the finish. Yes, water detracts from our enthusiast's enjoyment of Cask Strength whisky if you dilute it significantly for a review. Overall, a fine pour that, at this price, I wish I had traveled all over the state to find more of. Sadly, the initial pour felt too youthful and, shall we say, 'green' (perhaps that bell pepper?). But with time and aeration, it's a fine whisky, deserving of a very high 3.25 score from me.

Neat. First pour. This has been on my to-buy list for ages. Found it for $53 at Jungle Jim’s. A wild price, right? Had to get it. The aroma on this is powerful. The peat genuinely makes me crave burnt ends. Once I adjust to the peat, though, this is incredibly sweet. Shortbread, coconut, and pineapple. Loads of salt and pepper. Like sticking my nose right into salt and pepper shakers. This might sound odd, but there's a metallic silver note alongside it that brought back a memory of my grandparents' salt and pepper shakers. That's a deep recollection. Vanilla extract. Wow, this is wonderful. I expected the peat to be overwhelming, but instead, the higher proof amplified everything else. That's fantastic. Feel is velvety and just right. Whoa, that's a massive amount of flavor all at once. It's going to take a moment to break this down... Yep, intense. On the tongue, moving past the peat again, I'm detecting that coconut, pineapple, and vanilla extract. So sweet. It shifts into a really nice campfire smoke. Campfire doesn't quite capture it. More like a charred cedar plank. On the grill with some pineapple-marinated meat. The salt and pepper then linger on the finish. A full minute after my last sip, I'm still getting all the flavors mentioned. None of them faded or changed on the way down. Everything described is just present throughout. So intense. Incredibly intense. I adore it. My wife is going to get home in five hours, and I'm certain these flavors will still be all over me. It doesn't help that I spilled a little on my beard... If you saw my expression, I probably look like I'm in distress. Every time I take a sip, my eyes narrow and my lips pucker. It's just so, so delicious.

Batch 0012, bottled Feb 2020; 60.1%; 120.2 proof. Nose: Sugar cookie, vanilla frosting, sweet lemon cake. Cooked vegetables, cherry cola, cinnamon. Tropical notes of mango and a dash of pineapple. Earthy peat smoke with tar and fresh laid asphalt with some mint/menthol mixed in. Super balanced nose that gives you something new every time you dip into it. Palate: Rich and full vanilla cream, dark red fruit, spicy pepper and cinnamon. Bittersweet oak, which also adds some heat. More cooked vegetables. Sweet comes roaring back mid-palate with a rush of caramel, toffee, and cafe de olla (super sweet, spiced Mexican coffee). Finish brings the peat smoke with used tires, cigar ash, charred wood, burnt vegetables, and (finally) that classic Laphroaig medicine note (which is far more subdued here than in the standard 10 year). The sweet in the finish is straight up monkey bread (sticky brown sugar, cinnamon, biscuit dough). Good bit of oaky, cinnamon candy heat folds on top of that and closes it out. This is plain fantastic. I've shortchanged it, especially on the nose. This is relentless, just keeps coming. And it's delicious from start to finish. The medicine peat that Lap is so known for is milder here than in the standard 10 year - it's kinda perfect here, you get just enough to appreciate, but it's never overwhelming. Took me a while to find this - next time I see it, I buy two of them. Worth having this on hand at all times.

Aroma: Brilliant, metallic iodine and rubber, briny peat moss, dark sage, sweet fish oil, citrusy ethanol, and a dusting of cracked black pepper. Taste: Sweet-salty vanilla oil, sea-salted rubber, iodine, earthy/salty peat. The initial wave of oil is reminiscent of anchovies in olive oil, but then vanilla takes over with a slight hint of citrus. As the oiliness subsides, rubber and iodine become prominent with fresh cracked pepper. The finish consists of lingering salted peat with subtle notes of sage and other herbs, and a coating of freshly cracked pepper. Final thoughts: Simply another robust expression of the classic 10 year, enhanced to explore Laphroaig at its purest. I admit I am biased towards Laphroaig, as I am a great admirer of their typical flavor profile. Also, for some reason, the aroma consistently reminds me of bass fishing on an early spring morning during the fish spawn. This is also a very oily whisky, causing flavors to linger on the palate for an extended period. I enjoyed Batch 0011 equally and would need to compare them to discern their differences (a 2% ABV variance). In short, if you generally enjoy Laphroaig, this is a bottle that would be a suitable addition to your collection, and I doubt you will be disappointed. Likewise, if you appreciate bold, Islay-style whiskies or peat in general, I recommend exploring this bottle.

Bottled at 60.1% (120.2 proof), this one hits hard and is definitely not for the timid. On the nose, it’s immediately smoky and phenolic, reminiscent of burning rubber, tar, and iodine. Once you move past the peat and smoke, you find more brine, vanilla, and some fruit like pineapple with a touch of pepper spice. On the palate, the arrival is quite oily with honeyed sweetness that is instantly followed by lemon, brine, oysters, seaweed, ash, smoke, herbal grass notes, and pepper. The development is quite interesting with a rich mouthfeel and different flavors combining in good harmony. Even at 60.1%, it doesn't taste overly strong. A few drops of water bring out more fruity sweet characteristics and mellow the spice and alcohol burn. The finish is medium to long (lasts a bit longer without water) with tar, ash, and smoke combined with some 'fishy' sea-shore like notes. It also makes your mouth quite dry. Overall, a fantastic whisky. I absolutely suggest adding a few drops of water and letting the glass sit for 15-20 minutes before enjoying it.