The new series by The Whisky Agency is nicknamed Fights and features fighting animals on the labels. First up is this Laphroaig 1995.
Laphroaig 17 yo 1995
(53,9%, The Whisky Agency ‘Fights’ 2012, bourbon barrel, 253 btl.)
Laphroaig 17 yo 1995Nose: a warm and smoky Laphroaig, starting coastal and medicinal but growing more buttery over time. A sweet lemon / yellow apple combo. Almond syrup. Even cherry fruit candy. Then back to soot, bonfires, tobacco and liquorice wood. Quite an excellent balance.
Mouth: starts slightly candied but becomes much less rounded now, with brine, lots of white grapefruit and lemon zest. Liquorice and ginger. Black olives, soy sauce, tar and hints of antiseptic. Back to a faint sweet note in the very end.
Finish: long, peppery, with cough syrup and a slight bitterness.
The nose of this Laphroaig made me expect a slightly different palate, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Best of both worlds? Around € 105.
Score: 88/100