Laphroaig isn't our frequent guest and actually it's difficult to try their aged expressions (there are not so many of them and price tag is really high), but we will make our best tonight.
The whole selection:
We'll start with 27 yo official release and 23 yo CS release for the German market and then switch to higher strengths and bottlers' editions. Let's go.
Laphroaig 2006/2018 Highrove cask #2287 46% - welcome drink.
Nose: smoke, salt and whiffs of hospital.
Taste: a bit watery, but still ok.
Finish: mainly on salt and sea, notes of hospital and bandages.
Overall: quite nice Laphroaig for drinking.
Score = 22 21 22 22, 87/100!
Laphroaig 27 yo 41.7% - matured in ex-bourbon hogsheads & refill quarter casks. 7542 bottles in a batch.
Nose: sweet and delicate on salt, vanilla, peat and yellow fruits. Enjoyable.
Taste: oily and nutty, I wish it has more ABV of course.
Finish: medium-long, dry, smoky and peppery.
Overall: quite nice aged Laphroaig lacking power in a palate and finish.
Score = 23 22 22 22, 89/100!
Laphroaig 1991/2014 52.8% - matured in 1st fill sherry & refill hogsheads, 5000 bottles released.
Nose: gentle and elegant, pear, salt, sweet raspberry and delicate sherry influence.
Taste: powerful and expressive, combo of malt and salt on a palate.
Finish: long, salty, cream and malt again, sweetness and spiciness in perfect balance, peat and liquorice echo at the end.
Overall: that is the case when Islay spirit and sherry influence are very well balanced.
Score = 22 23 22 23, 91/100!
Laphroaig 10 yo CS batch #003 55.3% - bottled in 2011.
Nose: tar, smoked fish, peat and bandages of course.
Taste: powerful, lemony and peppery, salt and licorice, possibly even some leather.
Finish: long, spicy, citrus and peat altogether.
Overall: 10 yo expression as it possibly should have been.
Score = 22 22 22 22, 88/100!
Laphroaig 1998/2013 LMDW Artist #3 cask #700353 60.1% - 527 bottles released.
Nose: intense sherry + usual Laphroaig aromas.
Taste: explosive and powerful.
Finish: quite long and powerful, but tad simple.
Overall: a very good one nevertheless, some guys scored it 90+.
Score = 22.5 22.5 22 22, 89/100!
Laphroaig 20 yo Elixir Distillers 53.8% - 493 bottles released, matured in single oloroso sherry butt.
The sherry butt did such a good work, that I don't even want to go into details :) Great oloroso profile as a foreground and Laphroaig peat and salt hidden inside. Some purists may not like it, but I did.
Score = 23 23 23 23, 92/100!
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