It has been a while since I tasted a Laphroaig. Last time was in April 2016 when The Ladies’ Share had a Laphroaig meeting with seven different Laphroaigs. All of them were distillery bottling. Today I am enjoying a bottling by the independent bottler Hunter Laing.
The whisky is Laphroaig 1998 16 YO Old & Rare. It was distilled November 1998, matured in a refill hogshead that gave 237 bottles when it was bottled April 2015 at 52,2 ABV. The whisky is not available in Norway.
Light and fresh on the nose with mint and eucalyptus. A wet bonfire on the beach. Smoke and peat. I think it smells like a lot of herbs mixed together; thyme, basil, tarragon and so on. And licorice. Rich on the palate. Oh! The smoke is really intense! Licorice, lemon and ashes. Mint and eucalyptus. I like it! A warm and lingering finish. Ashes and lemon. Mint and eucalyptus here as well.
My score: nose 22 / taste 23 / finish 22 / balance 23 = 90
Thanks, Fredrik!
Image from Master of Malt.
– Tone
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