First off we typically have 750mL to the point where writing it is habit, and occasionally we get a 1L thrown in. This week (and truly the next few months) will come from Britain so expect some off the wall numbering and selections as we explore spirits that aren’t casual fare in the states. (Gotta support those worldwide readers of this global site)
Back to ‘scotch’ instead of tequila we instead take a slight diversion to Japan. We’ve actually had some pretty good luck with Japanese whiskies in the past, and though this looked to be one of the cheaper entry-level products hopes were high it could compete with it’s brothers the Yamazaki and the Hakushu.
So this distiller was bought and left dormant for near 100 years. However once 2008 happened there was a turn, and now that it’s been a while enough time has passed to to make an actual scotch. This comes as a ‘revival’ of the distillery, but in short it can;t be ignored for being just another single malt scotch whisky.
I know we recently did a Johnnie Walker as a group, but this was another gift to the lounge that we’ve got to discuss. This is a Rye cask finished whiskey which is notable for thankfully not being sherry. The scotch overall is fairly good, but is best treated as something worth trying, and for Rye fans a joy. The rest of the time though – move along.
So we’ve actually done 4 different Laphroaig reviews. (The Select, Three Wood, An Cuan Mor, and 15 Year); however despite having bought this very whisky multiple times in the lounge – it recently came to our attention it hadn’t been properly reviewed. Time to solve that. Laphroaig’s 10 year is most notably for being a constant companion in the Buffalo Lounge, not a year goes by without it gracing the shelves for a few short months, and that alone is a true marker of quality more than the other transient spirits in the lounge.
So as those of you might recall we’ve previously had another entry from the Explorer’s Club Collection – The Spice Road. However as shown we had 2 slightly different takes one by The Buffalo, and the other Justice. Now historically Justice has been a lot more forgiving in scotch reviews which was shown in his entry. We therefore decided for this top-tier entry to meet up and discuss as a group.
Once again we have a distiller’s edition that feels worse than the original, costs more, and you sort of feel that maybe scotch shouldn’t be done by a committee – but at least more than 1 person. Distiller’s edition’s have always baffled us, because it’s usually done more as an experiment, or to take what is often a more ‘generalized’ product and make it niche, jack up the price, and go. The problem is that they become novelty to buy once, when it really should be something better.
Unlike Dimple Pinch, I actually knew a piece of popular culture that this whiskey is used in, notably John Wick. Now John Wick is an amazing movie for many reasons, but after a very hard day, John relaxed with this whiskey to dull his pain on recommendation by Winston. The whiskey itself is actually quite good, and it’s easy to see why it was chosen for a piece of prop design.
The image below does a decent job of catching how blue and striking this case and bottle are, but it’s certainly not the same thing. One would think something like this would have happened before what with the whole movie industry getting behind the teal-and-orange color palate, but it’s refreshing to see on a liquor store shelf. The scotch overall though is classic ‘fiddich.
Alright I need to get my thoughts about this before the fold as there will be a treat for you. Speaking of treats this whiskey is certainly one for your tastebuds, of course that’s if you consider being kicked in the teeth as a treat. This is not a whiskey you throw into a cocktail or have when you want a calm sipping whiskey at the end of the day. This is a bar whiskey that you have when you want to wake up or if life has gotten just a little too boring.
