Week 2 of 3 for the gifts of scotch, this time a step up from the Select in terms of price (although Select is meant to take from all of Laphroaig. I’ve always been big fans of multiple wood casks (especially with things like The Balvenie), and this is no exception. If I complained last week about a lack of first impressions – damn does this have one.
Our first triple wood reviewed (although we’ve tried a handful), and I feel we should add more to this site (Auchentoshan for example), because while this is a good whisky it’s not as great as I was hoping based on the Select from last week and the higher dollar value,.
What they Say: “We use three types of barrel to create this unique blend of our signature peat-smoked liquid with softer notes of fruit and spices.
After a first maturation in hand-selected ex-bourbon barrels, the liquid is transferred to smaller 19th century-style quarter casks to impart extra depth and fullness.
Finally, the large size of the European oak casks (known as ‘butts’) allows for a slow maturation – all leading to a soft, complex and fully rounded flavour.
Please note that any cloudiness when mixed with water is normal for a non chill-filtered whisky.”
Taste: 7.5 – Wow does that come on peaty strong “yay wordplay :)” it has a slight twinge just before it goes into the aftertaste.
Aftertaste: 6.5 – This is quite good, and above all has a nice complexity too it. I would not give it insanely high marks though.
Burn/Smooth: 6.0 – This has a nice warmth and some smoothness; however the bit of fire in its belly makes it not as smooth as some other single malts.
Aroma: 7.0 – I hate to be comparing to last week, but while this lacks a firey flavor it’s just not as nice.
Honesty: 7.0 – The use of ex-bourbon barrels gives this a boost already employed by a scotch naturally; however there is an issue that it goes on a bit too much. I am also wondering if that touch of the sherry cask is what accounts for some of the fire here that could have been better mellowed by another type of wood.
Mixability: 8.0
W/ Rocks: 8.0 – This smooths things out, and is an improvement upon the scotch neat, and I’m glad for that.
Value: 4.0 – This is a bit too costly for what this is, and to be fair compared to last week I feel the pricing should have been reversed.
Google Shop Average: $71
Website: http://www.laphroaig.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
Want to compare this spirit against our archives? Visit our statistics page.
Metric Score: 46/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.57 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
New to Honest Booze Reviews, or just wondering how we score? See our FAQ/Review Policy.
Final Thoughts: At the end of the day I am grateful to have another Laphroaig in my barstock. Sadly it seems that you don’t get two patches of land.
