Laphroaig 16 Year

This is a rather unusual limited edition from Laphroaig, stemming from a collaboration in Europe. Fortunately, it became available domestically, as I'm always eager to sample an age-stated Laphroaig. Aroma: Many familiar Laphroaig characteristics are present. Seaweed, iodine, smoke, ocean salt, adhesive bandage, and a tennis ball note (a spot-on observation from a friend). There's also an intriguing new car leather scent, chestnut, spearmint, peppermint, and saltwater taffy. Fruity notes include apple, pear, and apricot, complemented by vanilla and butterscotch sweetness, along with cinnamon and oak. The peat intensity is notably less pronounced than in some younger versions. A strong opening. Taste: Significant campfire smoke, iodine, sea salt, seaweed, and peat. It carries a spicy black bean chili flavor with red and black pepper, plus cinnamon spice. There's some warmth, but it's agreeable. Notes of chestnut, caramel, vanilla, apple, pear, and milk chocolate emerge. It's floral and oaky, offering an interesting blend of sweet and spicy, brine, smoke, and medicinal qualities. However, these are not entirely novel for Laphroaig. Still, it's solid. Aftertaste: Still abundant campfire smoke, iodine, seaweed, and sea salt. Adhesive bandage notes are present. The peat and smoke can be detected right to the conclusion. Black bean chili, cinnamon, and oak spice are noticeable. Toasted almond and chestnut flavors appear. It fades with oak, apple, pear, and vanilla. The duration is moderate to long. This Laphroaig is remarkably subdued compared to others. It's quite sweet and exceptionally fruity, a clear departure from the bold and assertive 10 Year Old and No Age Statement expressions that I so admire. However, it doesn't align with my expectations for a Laphroaig. It's my lowest-rated expression to date. Given my typically high regard for Laphroaig, it would be misleading to compare it solely against those other bottlings. When evaluated on its own merits, it's quite pleasing. There's a lot to appreciate, and the Laphroaig character is evident. Perhaps the age diminishes its impact? All the characteristic notes are there, but the intensity is somewhat lacking. Nevertheless, this is a wonderfully flavored whisky with an impressive age statement and a respectable alcohol content. For any Laphroaig enthusiast curious about experiencing an older Laphroaig without a hefty price tag, this bottle serves that purpose well. I've revisited this with a new bottle nearly four years later. No batch variations are indicated. This is the 'second release,' but the packaging offers no clues about any changes. I've added a few observations this time. For the most part, the profile is nearly identical. The distinction is that I now appreciate the profile's harmony much more than I did initially. What I perceived as mild before now comes across as subtle elegance—the flavors might not be intense, but there's considerable depth. Consequently, I'm increasing its rating by a quarter star, and I feel I could have even gone higher. For now, this score accurately reflects both this review and my original assessment. 4.25/5.

Following my Laphroaig reviews, here's a sample of the 16-year, a gift from a friend. The aroma is gentle and subtle, beginning with smoked salmon, grilled pineapple, honey lemon lozenges, and old books, then dark chocolate-covered toasted almonds and fresh pipe tobacco. This is followed by caramelized pears, nectarines, and slightly tart cherries, transitioning to mild baking spices, asphalt, and polished wood with a moderate alcohol sting. The palate has a medium body, starting with creamy, slightly tart tropical fruits before a moderate spice that gradually recedes to light coffee, smoked brisket, and leather-bound books. Next comes dark chocolate with a hint of sea salt, toasted sourdough, and fresh pipe tobacco, followed by sautéed apples, nectarines, and lemon zest. This evolves into moderate baking spices, asphalt, and slightly bitter black tea, with a medium alcohol burn. The finish is medium in length, beginning with sweet and slightly tart tropical fruits that recede, leaving smoky meats, pipe tobacco, a mild sea saltiness, asphalt, old books, and slightly bitter black tea in the background. The nose is soft and subtle, with the extra years in the casks softening the intense smoke notes from a barbecue pit master opening their smoker, presenting a milder, gentler smoked meat aroma. While still dominant, this allows the subtle sour citrus and polished wood notes to have a stronger presence. On the palate, the smoke is more pronounced than the nose suggested, with richer smoked meats that are still on the subtler side, alongside those sour tropical and citrus fruits. However, it suffers from a higher spice level than I prefer, disrupting the balance, and the wood leans towards a mildly bitter tea flavor. It finishes with a mix of sweet and sour citrus that quickly fades to tangy meats, mild spices, and black tea. After tasting the 15-year 200th Anniversary, I was keen to see how a higher age statement and a 5% ABV increase would affect the 16-year's flavors. I found this to be a quite delicious, well-made dram that I'd happily drink anytime, though it doesn't quite reach the masterpiece status of their 15-year 200th Anniversary. It's not as exceptionally balanced, and the fruits lean more towards the sour side, showing that older and higher ABV don't always guarantee a superior dram. At under $100 when released, I thought these were a bargain for an older Laphroaig. However, a quick search shows they've risen to around $150 today, and I'd much rather get a bottle of Lore at a similar price, which I find surpasses this one. Ratings for the series so far: 10-year cask strength batch 11- 3.75, 10-year sherry oak finish- 4.0, Lore- 4.0, 2019 Caidreas Triple Wood- 3.75, 2020 Caidreas Port and Wine - 3.75, 2021 Caidreas PX - 4.0, 15-year 200 Anniversary- 4.5, 16-year- 4.0

Let's get straight to it: Laphroaig is a serious whisky. Tonight, I'm tasting a limited edition released in mid-2021, aged for 16 years in American oak. This is only my third Laphroaig, and I'm eager to try it after my lowest-rated distillery tasting experience recently. Nose: Oh boy! (The same words I used for Lore!) Rich and captivating, I'm immediately drawn into the glass. The peat is soft yet powerful, with a dark meaty quality, slightly plastic-like iodine, and fresh herbs. There's much more here, including a gentle sweetness reminiscent of pastry and orchard fruits. It continues to unfold with earthy petrichor and aged, leathery oak. Palate: An oily, ashy texture loaded with brine. Chili and pepper beautifully complement soft peat smoke, light malt, and charred BBQ meat notes. A juicy mid-palate delivers balancing fruit with chocolate creaminess around the edges. The spirit offers a zesty, bright, and almost floral freshness. A maritime presence persists with a mineralic to metallic flutter. Finish: Medium-long. Stony minerals, brine, ashy embers, and smoky black tea. There might even be a touch of honey or sugary sweetness. Wonderful. My confidence in whisky was shaken by my last tasting, but it's been restored. This is undeniably good. Does it have flaws? Perhaps. Does it lean slightly bitter and spicy? Maybe. Am I qualified to judge these points? I strongly suspect not. It's less 'raw' than the standard 10 but slightly less refined than Lore. This comfortably stands as a slowly developing powerhouse of depth, subtlety, and richness. The smoky, meaty, and heavy-sounding flavors somehow manage to remain bright and vivid with an uplifting warmth. This embodies what whisky should be: engaging and thought-provoking. Textures, aromas, and flavors combine to create a lovely treat on a cool autumn evening. Distillery whisky tasting #174 [Pictured with an extinct sea scorpion from the Silurian period. These creatures, also known as sea scorpions, are related to modern horseshoe crabs and were the largest arthropods ever known, reaching up to 2.5 meters long. They were formidable predators in shallow, warm seas and may have been the first animals to move from water to land.] Laphroaig scores: Laphroaig 10: 4/5 Laphroaig Lore: 4.5/5 Laphroaig 16: 4.25/5

Aroma: earthy peat, crisp apple cider, pear, bright red fruit, iodine, brine, honey, marshmallow, rubber, menthol, sunscreen, sweet floral notes, cocoa, tar, ash, mint, caramel, vanilla, dry vegetal notes, resinous oak, black pepper, moderate ethanol burn. Taste: spicy peat, creamy vanilla, toffee, iodine, brine, chocolate, honey, tar, rubber, marshmallow, mint, lemon zest, black pepper, menthol, tar, caramelized apple and pear, moderate alcohol bite, finishing long with resinous peat, citric fruit, menthol, and tar flavors. We're on day two of testing a loved one's patience with the beautiful scent of Laphroaig drifting through the house. And what a beautiful scent it is. It's certainly a more intricate aroma than I've encountered on a Laphroaig. Extended barrel aging has softened the peat and rubber, revealing delightful bright, sparkling fruit notes along with some spicy menthol and marshmallow. The palate arrives with the classic Laphroaig flavors, though much less aggressive than usual, but quickly transitions to chocolate, caramelized fruits, and a citrusy zing. Overall, this is excellent. Additionally, I value that this was bottled at 48%. The flavors are denser and more developed, and it doesn't feel overly diluted, as the standard 10 year did to me. Purists might find this lacking, as the expected powerful impact from Laphroaig is absent, but I believe it's very well executed. I never imagined I'd describe a Laphroaig as elegant, but here we are. At $90 nearby, it's priced a bit less than Lagavulin 16, and I prefer this slightly, but not significantly. Nonetheless, if you enjoy Laphroaig, this is one worth acquiring at a suitable price.

One of the most exciting releases from the past year, in my opinion, is this Laphroaig 16yo. I genuinely believe this highly divisive distillery aims to challenge the legendary Lagavulin 16 with this expression. The question now is: will Laphroaig succeed? Let's review the whisky! Bottled at 48% ABV with a golden color. The nose immediately presents the typical medicinal Laphroaig scent, along with tangerine, antiseptic, and a damp, rainy feeling that transported me back to 1998 when a weather event called 'El Niño' impacted Ecuador. After a first sip, it offered tea and Scottish fudge. It smells like lotion for sunburns and a rainforest. The palate is quite good, with toffee and plastic notes. I can only describe the aroma as the furry cows in Scotland; if you've experienced that, you'll understand what I mean. It's like Nerf toys. A second sip gave me an overall sensation of being in a pharmacy. The aftertaste is very artificial, like something manufactured. I struggle to define it precisely, but I'm sure it's akin to synthetic chocolate. It's like a plastic bonfire, feeling very artificial and mineral. Overall, I'm truly amazed at how strange my review of this whisky might sound, but it is what it is. This is a rollercoaster of some very interesting, well-delivered flavors and aromas that happen to be a bit wild. It's no match for Lagavulin's 16yo; it's an entirely different beast. My score for it is 90 out of 100.

Indeed, this is Laphroaig from start to finish. What makes this whiskey so remarkable is that, unlike many whiskies today, you don't lose the peat smoke's vibrancy. Most Islay whiskies see the peat mellow with age, but there isn't as much difference here. Why? Because this is OLD Laphroaig, not contemporary Laphroaig. It's akin to finding a dusty bottle from the 60s-80s or Buffalo Trace discovering old Stitzel-Weller stock. This 16-year represents the last year of old-school distillate before the Suntory/Beam merger, which led to a more corporate, mass-appeal approach. Consider the emergence of Select, Triple Wood, and PX cask finishes designed to mask medicinal notes and smoke. The phenols in this whisky are reminiscent of Ardbeg: heavy, dense, earthy (rather than the typical medicinal) peat smoke, bacon, vanilla, and citrus, with pear hidden in the background. The taste features peat smoke, the fruit/pear note, vanilla cream, honey sweetness, lemon, and burnt orange citrus, followed by barrel spice and a touch of char from 16 years of maturation. The finish is long, with the smoke lingering the longest, though not nearly as long or as strong as a fresh 10-year-old. The citrus and barrel notes also persist, with the honey sweetness faintly remaining in the background. To experience some of the last pre-merger whisky, bottled at a very nice 16-year age statement, and without the steep cost of NAS Lore, this is an exceptional value if you appreciate peaty/smoky Islay Scotches.