Laphroaig Lore

While the game's outcome was disappointing, and the doubters will continue their criticism (this team has faced considerable skepticism about being pretenders), I believe it was evident that my Eagles were the superior team in the NFC this year, unequivocally. It's also clear they fell short of being the best team in the NFL by a narrow three-point margin. I don't recall a recent football season where the NFC and AFC were so evenly matched. Despite my heartbreak, I want to congratulate Andy Reid and the Chiefs on a hard-fought game and their demonstrated resilience. Now, I don't wish to brag, but I enjoyed some excellent whiskey tonight. Highland Park Cask Strength, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Templeton 10 Year Single Barrel, and Laphroaig Lore. I began with the Lore, hoping for good fortune for my team, partly because the bottle's colors seemed auspicious, and I concluded with it because it was, on paper, my finest whiskey. However, appearances can be deceiving, as the Eagles' defense, on paper, should have dominated the opposing team. Reality often differs from expectation. But the Lore embodies truth. Considerable effort was clearly invested in this whiskey, even without an age statement; the smoke is noticeable yet refined, not overwhelming. A faint trace of ozone, similar to what I observed in Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 015, is present subtly, along with the sensation of sea spray and a hint of sweetness from the sherry cask single malt within the blend. All the aromas on the nose are harmoniously balanced, and this equilibrium carries through to the palate. The sherry mingles with the peat, evoking a resemblance to the Sherry Finished 10 Year or the Talisker DE. Again, the word that comes to mind is subtlety. It's Laphroaig, but the most gentle iteration I've encountered, akin to a lullaby version. In essence, it's the most approachable Laphroaig I've tasted. It surpasses the 10 Year Sherry Cask. While less complex than Cask Strength 015, it's also far less intense on the senses. I would choose it over Warehouse 1, with only the PX Pedro Ximinez Cairdeas rivaling it. So, I conclude the evening alone with my family after everyone else has departed. The football season has ended. I'm taking my wife to a BYOB on Wednesday to celebrate Valentine's Day with a bottle of Sancerre Blanc. Then, with football concluded, it's time for a month of sobriety until St. Patrick's Day, when I plan to open Blue Spot. A little recovery time is needed for the liver, as we all require from time to time. Once more, I acknowledge the Chiefs' victory, but my affection for my Eagles remains strong. They brought us close, but couldn't quite reach the summit. I still love them.

Continuing my Laphroaig series, the next one is a sample of Lore. The nose begins with candied bacon, grilled figs and leather-bound books, followed by a mild campfire smoke, dark chocolate ganache with light sea salt and pipe tobacco, then caramelized pears, strawberries with balsamic vinegar and dehydrated mango that transitions to mild baking spices, asphalt and polished oak with a low ethanol burn. The taste has a medium to full mouthfeel, starting with creamy orchard fruits before a moderate spice that slowly fades to tangy smoked pork belly, grilled figs and leather-bound books, then freshly lit pipe tobacco, dark chocolate-covered sea salt caramels and almond croissant, followed by caramelized pears, sautéed strawberries and mango that transitions to mild baking spices, asphalt and polished oak with a medium ethanol burn. The finish is long, beginning with a moderate pipe tobacco smoke that quickly recedes to creamy orchard fruits, dark chocolate-covered raisins and candied bacon, followed by light baking spices, mild ocean brine, leather-bound books and polished oak. This is an exceptional dram that is masterfully composed with soft smoke beautifully intermingling with light Sherry, creamy citrus fruits and well-aged oak that has a mild sourness and a higher spice than I prefer on the palate. The finish starts slightly off-putting with a moderate smoky bitter spice that quickly fades, allowing that delightful mix of light Sherry, creamy citrus, candied bacon and oak to return and linger for minutes after each sip. At a price of around $140, I believe this is a reasonably priced dram that offers a taste of a milder and softer side of Laphroaig. Ratings for the series so far: 10-year cask strength batch 11- 3.75 10-year sherry oak finish- 4.0 Lore- 4.0

Nose: Citrus, red fruits, earthy peat, heather, and grass, with floral and orchard fruit notes. Notably absent are the medicinal qualities one might anticipate from Laphroaig. This presents as the mildest Laphroaig nose I've encountered. Palate: Red fruit, caramel, vanilla, toffee, rich bread, orange citrus, pear, and vanilla custard bread pudding prepared with dark rye bread and dusted with cinnamon, butterscotch, a few faint coffee notes and bitterness, followed by smoked nuts and vegetables after some time in the glass. The mouthfeel is rich and indulgent. Finish: Bread, some mineral notes, oak, cinnamon, a touch of heat (suggesting oak), a slight trace of the expected medicinal character (at last), more cinnamon alongside other baking spices (cardamom, coriander, anise), some tannins on the sides of the tongue, and a gentle, fragrant peat smoke that emerges much later. While this deviates from typical Laphroaig profiles, it is truly wonderful. Rich, indulgent, and delicious. Potentially the finest NAS single malt I've sampled. I would definitely revisit this and am already considering it as a great gift for fellow peated scotch enthusiasts. I do wish it were priced closer to $100, but I'm not unhappy with paying slightly more. If you find it at a reasonable price, it's absolutely worth getting a bottle or two.

Second Review 48% ABV, Non-chill Filtered with added color Aroma: salt, cedar wood, dark chocolate, ash, burnt campfire - sweet, resinous woods like spruce or pine, with a hint of dark honey. Taste: dry salted dark chocolate, ashy, cedar wood/bowes, sweet dark honey with a pepper chili tingle, concluding with a lingering sweet smoke. I would still categorize this as a “gentleman’s Laphroaig,” which I thoroughly enjoy. It possesses a thick and oily consistency and strongly evokes smoked salted dark chocolate, making it an excellent way to end an evening with companions or for a formal event. I've previously noted that this bottle is quite costly in my region, and that remains the case. Examining other markets, particularly the UK, I would happily pay 65£ to repurchase this and will likely arrange personal import. At 220 CAD in the local state-run store, it's a substantial amount, considering the exchange rate, shipping, import duties, and retail markup from the UK results in a price 70-90 CAD lower than my local cost. Despite my concerns about the price, this remains a personal favorite from Laphroaig, and I will continue to incorporate it into my regular selection of 10-year cask strength and cairdeas releases, though not frequently. It's worth mentioning that this bottle has been open for two years and has not diminished in quality, still wonderfully smoky and rich.

48%, Non-chill Filtered with added colour Smell: Smoke, Ashy, Seaweed, Sea Salt Mist and dark Salty Chocolate. Taste: A subdued medicinal Laphroaig peat smoke that turns ashy with bitter chocolate. Finish: a short drying finish that with a long lingering salted dark chocolate sweetness. Dark Golden colour, Oily and thick mouth feel. Tried it alongside the Laphroaig 10 Year Sherry Cask. Both were lovely smokey whiskeys, similar but distinct. Lore is more refined and less intense, it has less sweetness and more bitter salty chocolate while the Sherry Oak is more direct, but still a milder Laphroaig than I'm accustomed to from the bourbon side. Meaty maple bacon and sweet smoky chocolate are a common theme with these. I love both and if I had to choose one, the Sherry oak being more than $100 less would be my choice, I can see this one being a matter of individual preference and budget.

Smell: briny peat, smoldering campfire, cinnamon, baking spice, warming oak. Dark stewed fruit. Earthy red fruit Sherry note. Candied, roasted cinnamon sugar almonds. There's a light gentle vanilla here, likely from the bottle having sat. Some light caramel Taste: full, robust, truly lives up to the name "richest ever Laphroaig." Perfectly balances the Sherry influence, the medicinal phenolic peat, and the traditional bourbon/oak cask influences. Not too thick/syrupy and not too thin. You definitely get the signature Laphroaig medicinal note. Briny maritime peat. Smoldering beach bonfire during a rainstorm. You can detect warming oak and some barrel char. Cardamom and cinnamon. Bitter Dark chocolate as it moves to the finish. Date/fig/raisin. Seaweed. Finish: long, drying, peaty, but with an underlying tone of substantial oak and baking spice. Dark Chocolate.