Laphroaig 10yo, b.2018, Cask Strength, Batch 010, 58% abv.

Nowadays, getting these annual releases is proving to be frustrating. The 10 year CS and Cairdeas bottlings are generally distributed at retail, but at much later dates and at sometimes higher than OEM pricing. If you aren't in a country that gets a retail share, then auctions are the way to go, but if you're not getting it at the retail level, then customs will most likely be your auction shipment obstacle. However, these bottles, especially the Cairdeas bottlings, can be ordered on the Laphroaig website... which I've heard is another form of torture in itself. I'd love to hear the real story behind their web services operations.

Nose: Islay-mafia nose, i.e. peat smoke, burnt wood, but behind that intense rapture is some honey, new car leather, rubber, brunt rice, light cinnamon, but in the background I think I smell light apples, plastic, and perhaps some burnt paper.

Palate: dry, initial palate is surprisingly relatively easy-going, mid palate has some light peanuts, fresh cappacino, peat, burnt wood residue, burnt chocolate, light tar on a fresh asphalt road, back palate is brown sugar and peat smoke. Ends up being a sweetened really dark coffee.

Finish: medium to long, peaty, fresh rubber.

This is one of the nicer laphy 10 CS; actually one of the nicer modern laphy out there. The aromas more or less prepared me for a peat tolerance war, but then it was relatively smooth and easy-going, more like a relaxing car ride. The sweetness is more sugar or syrup based and the body of flavors oriented around sweetened coffee with burnt food residue. Feels like a pre-mature Laga 12. Admittedly, I was relieved the nose and palate were different, although I wish there was more meat and complexity.

Grade: B

Whiskyanalysis.com, 8.96 ± 0.33 on 21 reviews for all batches
Whisky advocate, Gavin Smith, 93 points
Peatedperfection, Tim Grant, 4/5

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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