Laphroaig 25 Year Cask Strength (2020 Edition)

Pale gold. Potent bouquet right away - initially open, with abundant pleasant peat. Unmistakably an Islay, originating from one of the titans. It evolves into an even smokier profile. Potent, intense, and a definite plus! That peat smoke fades after roughly five minutes. Then, the real magic happens. New scents emerge. Hints of citrus, and cocoa in the background. Some fine leather. Multifaceted. Clearly a smell of toasted grains. Barley is present! After a bit longer, dried grass joins the grains. The smoke is now integrated. After about a quarter-hour, it's harmonious and sweet, with smoke, grain, and vanilla intertwined. A bit of fruit is also noticeable, though I can't quite pinpoint it. With more time, more chocolate appears. Definitely citrus is at the core of it all. On the palate, the initial sensation is the Islay peat, but it's far more balanced than in earlier bottlings. Similar to the aroma, it blends with grain upfront, then vanishes, leaving distinct citrus. Salty - you can detect the sea air. Not exceptionally long, which was unexpected. Like effervescence, it vanishes, and salty grain remains. It truly blossoms with time, and then the tastes continue to transform. Pour a generous measure, and savor it for at least two hours! The contrast on the palate is captivating, between the peat and ash and chocolate, against the light fruit and savory notes of sea salt, iodine, and a bonfire. Superb equilibrium, with ash, malt, and vanilla on the nose, and on the palate, you experience cocoa and salt mingling with fruit, concluding surprisingly clean. Smoke, malted barley, wood, and ocean in perfect accord.

I opened this bottle at midnight to celebrate 9/11, 20 years later. When I was a kid in the 80s, I watched Leave it to Beaver daily after school. It was hilarious because my friends and I did similar things to Beaver and his pals. It felt relatable. I was amazed that despite the 30-year gap, Beaver still seemed genuine and not much different from me. Then a few years ago, I tried showing my kids Leave it to Beaver when it was briefly on Netflix. It was unwatchable. The world has changed so much that nothing resonated anymore. What still resonates today? Mr. Rogers. When things are scary, kids, look for the helpers. And then, when you’ve found your courage, be one of the helpers. God bless the Helpers. I wanted something from a time before the world changed forever. Before the internet became commonplace, before terrorists forced endless, lawless war upon us. I chose Laphroaig 25. The aroma is like a salty sea breeze and fresh rain on a rocky shore, with some butterscotch thrown in. Just sniffing it calms the heart and allows for a moment of reflection. The taste is full and sweet, salty and smoky. Caramel and Vanilla, stone fruit and kumquat. Smooth but bold, with very little bite. The finish is so warm and tingly; it feels like if the helpers keep helping, we'll all be okay.

Not sitting down with this alone in a rocks glass, but the next best thing is sharing it with other Friends of Laphroaig. What a beautiful dram, thank you Jordan!!! Looking forward to more events for FOL in Portland! Nose: brown sugar, subtle peat, a nice citrus marmalade note, almost a root beer/sarsaparilla scent Palate: sweeter than expected, pleasant strong oak character. French vanilla bean. A mellowed, less aggressive sea saltiness. Brown sugar. A bit of heat. Very deep and complex. Marzipan. Ash. Finish: pleasant phenolic peat, drying oak, lingering saltiness.

Smell: Band-aids and a doctor's office. Taste: A powerful honey, smoky bacon blast, finishing with a faint blue cheese aftertaste.

Truly, the finest!

Peaty, intricate.