Laphroaig 10 40% abv

From the Laphroaig website
It’s aged for ten years, and distilled following the traditions laid down over the last 200 years by a succession of passionate and skilled master distillers. This is a truly classic single malt Scotch, made from malted barley which is first cold-smoked and then dried over a peat fire.

The smoke from the unique Islay peat gives Laphroaig its particular rich flavor. This peated whisky is renowned for its bold, smoky taste, followed by a hint of seaweed and a surprising sweetness. Full-bodied with a long finish, it truly embodies the quintessential Laphroaig character.

Tasting notes:

Appearance: Old gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow thick legs.

Nose: A huge wave of medicinal, ‘TCP’ peat smoke, a little coastal breeze, hints of barley sugar, vanilla and caramel sweetness. Spiciness comes in the form of ginger, cinnamon and a little hint of cardamom.

Palate: More of the medicinal peat together with seaweed, balanced by sweetness from caramel, sultanas and vanilla. Chilli, cinnamon and black pepper spice gradually develop, together with tannic oak.

Finish: More savoury notes appear, together with astringency from the oak. Peat smoke lingers on the palate.

Summary: Laphroaig 10 was the first single malt whisky I ever tried, and the one which set me on my whisky journey. That was 35 years ago and it still remains an ever-present in my whisky cabinet. Back then, this used to be bottled at 43% and gave a huge phenolic, tarry punch. These days it’s evolved into a lighter, cleaner and sweeter malt, the medicinal phenol notes are still there but I do miss that slightly dirty character that I first fell in love with. It’s no surprise that the non-chill filtered Cask Strength expressions of the 10 year old are so popular despite the significant price difference. Although there is variation between batches they do get you a lot closer to the Laphroaig of old.

That said, this remains a very good malt, and it’s still a big, robust, punchy peat monster of a whisky. It’s also great value at around £30 and an absolute standard for anyone wanting to explore the depth and breadth of character available in malt whiskies. It should also be the first stop for anyone wanting to understand the current character of the Laphroaig spirit before moving on to the rest of the range. 

If you would like more information on this whisky, the distillery or any of the other Laphroaig whiskies, follow the link to the company website.