I’ve had Laphroaig 10 Year Old a couple of times before (check this review from 2018), but the last time was a few weeks ago, in a charming bar called The Euston Tap in London. While my friends were ordering beers, I felt a little low on peat.
The enjoyment of this Laphroaig 10 was just so-so. It failed to express itself (from a lemonade glass) and it felt largely underpowered. Back home I decided to look for a fresh sample and write this review. It never hurts going back to basics.
Laphroaig 10 yo (40%, OB 2021, L1 071 SB2)
Nose: the right glass makes this worthwhile after all, picking up antiseptics, flax and oil paint that simply didn’t show up in the bar. Smoked fish, seawater and mineral salts. Vague fruity notes in the background (apples, peaches). Fairly light indeed, the glass does wonders but who wants to nose whisky in a bar anyway?
Mouth: sweet attack on malt, sweetened tea, smoked almonds and yellow apple. Then the sharpness of the (pretty loud) acrid ashes and the pickled notes come out. Antiseptics again, some sweet herbs and lemon peels. It’s not very wide, and it fades before it should, but the flavours are well defined.
Finish: not too long, still really ashy with a hint of tar.
We may hand in some intensity but in return you get a very quaffable Laphroaig with a high typicity. Trying this in the right environment, from a freshly opened (mini) bottle made a big difference. If anything it proves you shouldn’t judge whisky based on a cursory sip from a bottle that may have been opened long ago. A good cornerstone malt, available from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt among others.