Laphroaig 25 Year Cask Strength (2013 Edition)

It has been a joy to consume spirits in recent weeks, celebrating good health with a calming dram that centers the mind on the simple sensory delights of the glass. Opening bottles for a rainy day, just in case. Most importantly, feeling connected to a global community brought together by a shared, intense appreciation for the fortunate marriage of barley, yeast, and water, aged in wood barrels by individuals in Scotland and elsewhere long ago. So, a toast to that and to all of you. The fellowship of whisky enthusiasts has been on my mind lately, as the peak of my isolation has been the weekly online tastings arranged by my local whisky group. While such digital gatherings have become commonplace during lockdown, our local organizer has excelled by assembling incredible selections of bottles and ensuring members received samples safely. However, the quality of the whisky has been secondary to the chance to connect socially via Zoom, swap tasting descriptions, and glimpse into each other's living spaces. Therefore, my scores for our recent Laphroaig tasting might appear unappreciative, but they miss the main point. These were whiskies I might not otherwise encounter, and experiencing them under these conditions, in what passes for social interaction now, is an event I wouldn't exchange for a rare bottle of Macallan. This 25-year-old was my top pick from the group. The expression I sampled was aged in a blend of former bourbon and former oloroso sherry barrels, bottled in 2019 at cask strength, 51.4%. The aroma presents spearmint, heather, and white pepper, with a trace of banana. On the palate, it's fruity, a facet of Laphroaig I truly appreciate. We're talking tropical notes, like guava and papaya. The finish is lengthy, leaving a lingering taste of charred brisket. Sounds appealing, doesn't it? Yet, it didn't quite cohere for me. The disconnect between the aroma, palate, and finish made it challenging to fully immerse myself in the spirit and achieve the transcendent sensation one might find with a more unified profile. Consequently, this is a bottle best shared rather than owned, and there's nothing wrong with that currently.

48.9% abv cask strength (2017 release) Non chill-filtered Color likely added Nose: Intricate: sweetness is balanced by a pleasant but not overwhelming medicinal, salty peat smoke. Yet, beneath it all lies a savory, bbq note; rich caramel apple; orange and lemon citrus; vanilla and toffee; sea shell. Taste: medium body, oily and mouth coating. Initially it's sweet vanilla and fresh fruit, but as it develops you encounter apple, chocolate and a subtle floral note. The journey continues with salted caramel and almond. Finish: seemingly endless. The peat smoke remains in the background as brine, vanilla, and caramel appear and disappear. A slight gingerbread note also joins, bringing along buttery cashew. Value: $400-500 USD. Difficult to assert this is “worth it” despite how good the dram is. Final thoughts: what can one say about a Laphroaig that’s at least 25 years old? Every single time you nose and taste this you discover something new. This is a unicorn single malt, pure and simple. Due to the price, I can’t advise you to stop everything and purchase a bottle immediately, but should fortune favor you or a kind acquaintance offer a sample, this is a dram not to be missed. Score: 4.5/5 (highly recommend buying a bottle.) Malt musing: “It is true that whisky improves with age. The older I get, the more I like it.” - Ronnie Corbett

2014 Release Smell - (without water) Smoky fruit, soil, spicy berries, dark apple beverage, rich spicy cocoa. (with water) Reduced smoke, more ocean breeze, mature apples, dried grapes. Flavor - (without water) Zesty pepper tingle/warmth, sweet smoked salty dark apple drink, slightly astringent feel, smoked sweet nuts, dried grapes. (with water) Woody, salty, sweet smoke, immediate dark raisin sweetness swiftly shifts to a dried grape sweetness, mature apples, sweet smoked nuts. Aftertaste - (without water) Persistent white pepper tingle/warmth, quite astringent, faint sea salt smoke remains, faint smoked salted nuts, dried grapes. (with water) Mild warmth, dried grapes, ocean spray, faint lingering sweet smoke. Rating - 89/100 Summary - I enjoyed this previously and still do. As I'm not a massive peat fan, this was quite enjoyable since the smoke and any harsh notes found in younger Laphroaig expressions are mostly controlled after a quarter-century in oak. The sherry character here is less pronounced, leading me to wonder if refill sherry or a lighter type like amontillado/manzanilla was used, as I detect more nutty, subtle fruit flavors. Nevertheless, it's quite delicious, with gentle smoke, subtle savory sea salt throughout, and good harmony. Would I consume it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Perhaps, depending on the cost Would I purchase a bottle? - No, I appreciate it, but not enough to acquire a full bottle for personal enjoyment.

nCV19 chronicles during quarantine edition. Following last night's outstanding Laphroaig 21 TWE single oloroso cask, which I personally declared, in the style of a renowned critic, as the 'best Islay I've ever had,' I felt compelled to open another Laphroaig sample. This time, I chose another well-aged expression, a 2018 Laphroaig 25, acquired last year from TWE for $30. This presents a muted smoke and brine on the nose, followed by a palate that echoes the characteristic medicinal quality, but with an undercurrent of campfire smoke. It's a more subdued relative of the 10-year-old. The profile is similar, but the smoke is less pronounced, revealing more intricate layers of lemon citrus meringue. Alright. Here's the situation: had I not experienced that TWE single oloroso cask 21-year-old Laphroaig, I likely would have awarded this five stars. However, in comparison, it falls somewhat short. It is good, genuinely good, but not on a completely different level like the 21 TWE. This retails for approximately $400 before tariffs, whereas the 21 single cask was $400 including tariffs. Currently, a 27-year-old Laphroaig single cask oloroso is priced at $5000. Therefore, the 21-year-old now appears to have been a wise acquisition for those who purchased it. Once we emerge from this CV19 period, uncork it to celebrate life.

Uncertain if the image accurately represents this expression, which I believe is from 2018. Aroma: I detect candy cigarettes, lemon-lime, a hint of actual cigarette smoke, iodine, and a savory undertone. This bears a peculiar resemblance to other expressions, with a bit more citrus than some of their younger versions. Taste: Notes of vegetable, vanilla, oak, powdered sugar, and some citrus fruit are present. The oak almost overwhelms some of these elements. The finish consists of that candy flavor and gentle peat. Anyone who assumes 25 years will diminish the peat's intensity is mistaken; this is intensely peated by any standard. However, it brings immense complexity, subtlety, and sheer whisky excellence. I often find it challenging to pinpoint nuanced flavors in peated spirits, but as a peat enthusiast, this is unequivocally my favorite heavily peated whisky to date, surpassing the Ardbeg 23. While I'm not typically a fan of Laphroaig, this 25-year-old is exceptional. I'm torn between a 4.5 and a 4.75, and I think I'll settle on a 4.5, but it's a STRONG 4.5. This is a bottle I will repurchase regardless of the cost, as I always want it in my collection.

This review is for the 2015 bottling of Laphroaig 25 Cask Strength, which was bottled at 46.8%. Although it's a cask-strength expression, its extensive maturation period resulted in the alcohol by volume dropping considerably, close to the standard diluted alcohol content found in most whiskies. The aroma is characterized by vanilla, caramel, guava, floral notes, and oak, with only faint traces of maritime brine. It presents a complex and pleasing scent, though not the powerful notes typically associated with Laphroaig. This is a gentle, aged dram where the smokiness is part of a harmonious blend of flavors rather than a dominant element. The palate requires close attention with each sip, revealing unexpected tastes each time: oak, coffee, chocolate, peat smoke, and grapefruit. The texture is oily and feels thicker than one might anticipate at 46%. The finish includes nutty elements, such as almond or macadamia, along with more oak, chilis, and peat smoke. At approximately $500 per bottle, it's unlikely to find a place on my shelf in the near future, but it is a lovely and refined creation.