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Distilled & Bottled by Laphroaig
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Region: Islay
Type: Single Malt
ABV: 60.1%
Age: 10yr
Color: Dark Gold
This is a bottle from Laphroaig’s Batch 12 of their Cask Strength Release series (February 2020). Aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, it comes in at just over the 60% abv mark. Although it is stated that this is bottled without chill filtration, Laphroaig isn’t forthcoming on whether they’ve added coloring to the final product.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Fruit and peat start the show with smoked orchard fruits and lots of campfire ash. Laphroaig’s signature iodine/bandaid notes are present too. The bourbon cask influence is apparent with notes of caramel, vanilla and clove spice.
Palate: The liquid is sweet and oily with a great mouthfeel. The palate adds some maritime notes to go along with the fruit. Extra flavors like caramel, burnt oak, lemon, and nutmeg are also found.
Finish: A long, medicinal finish coupled with fresh laid asphalt. The clove returns from the nose with lots of smoke, more pepper and sea spray. The fruit is more muted on the finish, but there is a touch of over-ripe melon.
Rating: 8/10
Conclusion: This is excellent whisky. It is very similar to Batches 10 & 11 in my experience. There’s peat galore with lots of fruit and bourbon influence. The only difference is that Batch 10 and 11 had a nice meaty note to them that I miss in Batch 12. Laphroaig’s Cask Strength offerings take everything I enjoy about the standard 10 year and dial it up to become a monster of a dram. This is the best deal in peated Scotch (if you can find it) and it is most definitely not for the faint of heart.