This is a young Laphroaig single cask, bottled at cask strength, again for The Writing Club, an intimate whisky bar in Singapore with a great selection. This was bottled for their 4th anniversary, and as the label indicates, technically an undisclosed Islay. There's a pretty good reason I think...

Distillery: Undisclosed (Laphroaig)

Region: Islay

Price: ~14USD/30ml

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon

ABV: 54.7%

Chill-filtered: No

Color: 1.0, deep copper.

Rested for a long time (last dram in a flight), before savoured slowly, neat in a snifter.

Nose: Sausages, ketchup in spades, apple cider vinegar.

Palate: Juicy, not fiery at all, maple bacon, cherry tomatoes on a vine, balsamic vinegar, pickling liquid from pickled jalapenos, some dark bitter herbal liqueur, and something vaguely brussels sprout-like.

Finish: Surprisingly little band-aids, more herbal liqueur, more cherry tomato-and-balsamic tang, but ending with an unmistakable hit of toasted coconut flakes.

Conclusion: This is very very tangy and sweet-meaty. Very unusual for a Laphroaig. Perhaps that may be partly why it was (technically) undisclosed, as you can tell from the label. I can appreciate how fun and audacious it is. I love it to that extent, at that very cerebral level, coming from a place of intellectual appreciation. However, I cannot say that I love it unreservedly at a more primal level. I think a bit more tropical fruity sweetness to cut through the tang would knock this out of the park. Or dial back the syrupy meat note. I have had several peated scotches recently go in that direction, so it could be a reaction to that (and that makes Springbank my peat sanctuary of sorts because syrupy meat does get tiring after a while). Make no mistake though, this is a fundamentally very good spirit that might do it for you if you ever get to drink it. And if nothing else, it is an enjoyable dram that challenges your preconceived notions of Laphroaig.

If it were named by the SMWS: Hipster Farmer's Market

Score: 84

Scotch Review #32, Whiskey Network Review #34

H.Y.