Style: Peaty and Fruity
Nose:
Starting with a fresh breath of citrusy marmalade and salted caramel pecans. Smoky and ashy peat burst into the scene with a big lick of orange vanilla cream. Nice interplay between fresh orange and dry chargrill notes.
Palate:
Delicious orange honey waltz in smoothly, backed by tender milky vanilla cream and spicy cinnamon sticks. A lovely pure amontillado moment struck right in the middle – sweet, nutty and dry! The sweetness is then overtaken by charcoal fume which is rising with the spice. Slightly salty on the palate and the vanilla returns in a toasted version. Bonfire, roasted oak and burnt twigs towards the end.
Finish:
Tongue drying fume finish. Spicy and ashy with an undertone of diluted orange lemonade, sweet but fairly thin. Peat washed up onto the shore with slight saltiness on the back, soft and tantalizing.
Thoughts:
I love Laphroaigs at this abv level, the trademark smokiness goes really well with the extra bite of strength. While the amontillado provided some sweet fruity touch, it also enhance the masculinity of the whisky with its dryness. It is a Laphroaig which is not only slightly sweet, but also raw and robust with an enormous character. Enjoyable.
☆ [Recommended]
[51.4%・2014 Bottled ・Original Bottling・No Age Statement・Non Chill Filtered ・ Limited Edition]
-Esmond
WhiskNick 