A few very crazy Laphroaig


December 29, 2016

Our last session of 2016
A few very crazy Laphroaig

Good, in general, I’m trying to choose an old bottling at a lower strength as the obligatory apéritif, but we’ll do just the opposite today. Because you see, the older bottlings we’ve got on the tasting table are not just any older bottlings. They’re epitomical, grandiose, and simply historical. You’ll see… But first, that modern apéritif…

Laphroaig 20 yo 1996/2016 (50.6%, Specialty Drinks, Masterpieces, Pedro Ximenez sherry butt, 516 bottles)

I’m not always into PX, especially PX on peat, but I’m often wrong. Colour: amber. Nose: ah. Definitely modern, and possibly re-racked, but it seems that it was worth it. Never have pencil shavings and cough syrup combined this well! Some kind of gingery, spicy, and smoky all-fruit jam that’s getting rather balsamic after a few minutes, while the oak spices would never give up. Peppered chocolate, cloves, cinnamon cake… With water: bourbon mixed with turpentine and tincture of iodine. It’s got its charms, but we’re far from any regular Laphroaigness now. Mouth (neat): huge, concentrated, and extremely extractive. Thick jams, oak spices, pomegranates, tamarind jam, ganaches… In truth Laphroaig’s distillate, not the weakest ever don’t we agree, got almost silenced. With water: same feeling, this is pretty extreme. The PX comes out, with sultry fruits and of course many raisins. Spice cake? Finish: long, sweet, and spicy. Hungarian Tokaji and lapsang souchong tea, fifty-fifty. And a lot of fruited marzipan in the aftertaste. Comments: I did not quite understand this whisky, I think I should go see a doctor. And perhaps an analyst. To me it feels a little pimped, if I may, but I know many aficionados who just totally ADORE it. SGP:654 – 81 points.

Good, I think we’re ready for some classic Laphroaig…

Laphroaig ‘Old Liqueur Scotch Whisky’ (80° proof, OB, late 1940s-early 1950s)

Wow, and I mean wow. This ultra-rare bottle was sourced from an old pub in Girvan by Mr Laphroaig himself, Marcel van Gils, the man who’s written the very best literature about Laphroaig ever, and who could teach anyone. Yes, anyone. Imagine this was most certainly distilled before WWII! Colour: gold. Nose: some kind of smoky brine. It’s the vibrancy and the insane freshness that are impressive. Some kind of aged precious balm, perhaps. Olives, camphor, samphires, seawater, more seawater, even more seawater… And many tiny herbs, dill for sure, sage, parsley… So it’s globally vegetal, wonderfully so. Mouth: oh the freshness! Totally salty, coastal of course, with a yet unknown combination of honey and seawater. Salty honeys, grapefruit juice, funny hints of tequila… Now I’m wondering, couldn’t this make for the rarest margarita ever? And the body’s totally impressive. Please call our favourite brigade before it’s too late, thank you! Finish: very long, still honeyed, salty, seaweedy, and above everything, with only the slightest hint of old bottle effect. In truth this could have been bottled yesterday. Love the mandarins in the aftertaste, this is so old-Laphroaig! Comments: grandioso. The honeyed side just kills you. SGP:654 - 95 points.

Let us insist…

Laphroaig 14 yo (91.4 US proof, OB, Carlton Import, rotation 1953)

This other ultra-rare bottle came from a full case discovered in America a few years back. Colour: amber. Nose: more sherry, it seems. This is also earthier and more tertiary, so less ‘straight’, and of course it’s just as flabbergasting. I’ll mention Cuban cigars from an old box, I’ll mention an old bottle of mead, I’ll add some beeswax and the most precious honeys (perhaps manuka, but isn’t manuka overrated?), and I won’t forget the most good (not the same as the best) milk chocolate. And it would start to become terrifyingly complex, shooting tiny aromas at you one after the other, first twenty dozen candied and dried fruits, then many precious balms and oils from the middle-east, and then more herbs and saps than you could find at Wikipedia’s. Mouth: first, it’s dry. And second, it’s herbal. And hugely tertiary, meaty, ‘foresty’, mushroomy… Let’s be quick, this is more or less some very old Chambertin matured in old pinewood. It’s even pretty bouillony (with salt), and there is some long-aged mead. Utterly brilliant old Laphroaig. Yes I’m trying to keep this as short as possible, I’m sure you understand. Finish: perhaps a tiny wee bit bitter, but that’s good, I was afraid would be flying too high, because we need to maintain our strength. Comments: coming up with a different score? The conceit of that guy! SGP:564 - 95 points.

So, perhaps some higher strengths…

Laphroaig 1978/1995 (55.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #29.7)

It’s funny – and sometimes moving – to see that many Society members used to handwrite the name of the distilleries onto the labels. Because not everyone is a fan of the Da Vinci Code… Colour: dark gold. Nose: huge! It’s beef bouillon blended with poultry soup, and that would include miso and parsley. Beyond that, some fresh and lively citrus, especially pink grapefruits, and a very gamy/farmyardy side. Fermenting hay, Marmite… So it’s a rather wild Laphroaig. With water: a cow stable on Islay. And mud, manure, dried kelp… Mouth (neat): yes yes yes. Tart, zesty, yet thick and rich, this is whisky to the power of two. Make that three. Now it doesn’t quite go in for subtleties, and gets massively salty and lemony. And peaty, and herbal. Seductively brutal. With water: the mandarins and bitter oranges are striking back. You don’t drink it, you fight it. Finish: endless, thick (even when heavily reduced), and perhaps a wee bit oaky towards the finish. Had to find something bad to say, you see. Comments: it was tiring, but it was worth it. As I said, you have to fight these. SGP:566 - 92 points.

Aren’t we pushing all this a bit too far? Perhaps a last one?

Laphroaig 1975/1993 (50.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #29.3)

The third Laphroaig ever bottled by the honourable Society. What’s the number these days? Around 180? Colour: white wine. Nose: totally different from all the others, this one is exactly crystalline, millimetric, and concise, I’d say. Mercurochrome, limejuice, seawater, and ashes. A total blade, not sure it’s not my favourite style. And these are also much faster to assess. With water: ink and lemon oil. Concrete. Paint. Bandages. Mouth (neat): lace and crystal. Ah those glorious third or fourth-fill casks! Almond and lemon oil, ashes and kippers, green olives, and oysters. That’s all and that’s a lot in my book. With water: terrifically blade-y. Would they grow lemon trees on Islay’s south shore, their fruits would taste like this. Provided they would get any fruits, of course. Finish: long, blade-y, smoky, almondy, plasticine-y. Comments: yes sir! Lace and whisky, wasn’t that an Alice Cooper LP? Not the best ever if I remember well… SGP:457 - 94 points.

With many mercis and hugs to Angus (who co-organises Glasgow's Whisky SHow Old and Rare) and Marcel who wrote this stunning book about Laphroaig.

Check the index of all Laphroaig I've tasted so far

Tomorrow morning we'll publish our favourites of 2016.