Little Pairs of Laphroaig Pair Two


March 24, 2020

The Confined Sessions
Little Pairs of Laphroaig
Pair Two

Two twelve years old, how does that sound? Including one OB, this little one…

Laphroaig 12 yo (43%, OB, Bonfanti Milano, decanter, 75cl, +/-1975)

Laphroaig 12 yo (43%, OB, Bonfanti Milano, stone flagon, 75cl, +/-1975)
Although the regular 10 yo white label for Bonfanti’s got an even higher reputation, this 12 never went unnoticed in Laphroaigland either, even if decanters or flagons usually give cold sweats to aficionados, until they are open. I mean, those flagons. Colour: gold. Nose: typical late 1950s or early 1960 Laphroaig, that is to say full of mangos and other tropical fruits (maracuja), all that mingled with soft coastal tones, creosote, drops of maraschino, a few mentholy herbs (carrot top?) and the subtle touches of marrow and miso soup. It’s all very complex, certainly not ‘evaporated’ or fragile, and perhas just a tad less fresh than the legendary 10 yo for Bonfanti. Or, for that matter, Philippi or Cinzano. A little coffee too. How complex! Mouth: it did not lose one single horsepower (but it’s not a Ferrari). Rather saltier and meatier on the palate, with some beef jerky, mole sauce, touches of clay (from the ceramic?), then really a lot of very salty miso, with a little honey to boot. You could almost use this as a sauce for your Chinese dumplings (but please no pangolin). Finish: medium, meaty. Cold chicken bouillon with a drop of honey. Dropped a wee bit, not too sure about the finish. Some preserved apricots in the aftertaste, maybe. Comments: I don’t think all batches of the 12 were the same, and that all flagons have kept this well. Having said that, as much as the nose was really fantabulous, the palate did show some wee signs of tiredness here and there. A little too much OCE, after all? (that’s Old ceramic Effect, lol). Oh and it was only very moderately peaty, but we know that peat kind of transmutes itself over the decades.
SGP:464 - 90 points.

So perhaps a modern 12 IB now?

Laphroaig 12 yo 2006/2019 (57.2%, Distiller’s Art for HNWS, refill sherry butt, cask #HL15653, 546 bottles)

A series by Hunter Laing indeed. Colour: gold. Nose: I suppose it’s the sherry cask that imparted these notes of roots, Jerusalem artichokes, or parsnips… Behind that, tons of smoked almonds and the usual high-medicinal style, more so than in yesterday’s ‘phroaigs for sure. Mercurochrome over celeriac, so some kind of rémoulade if you will. I like this (I mean, not mercurochrome over celeriac). With water: engine oil, smoke, chalk, fresh paint and grapefruit juice. Impeccable. Mouth (neat): powerful, straight, almondy, rather on putty and marzipan at first, then we have a lot of salt and stewed oysters. Indeed, some savages do that. And a lot of medicinal smoke! With water: arch classic un-fiddled with young Laphroaig. It’s not a ‘very refill’ butt that’ll change anything in this context – loud applause! Finish: long, salty, almondy, just very good. No drop this time, this one would run a marathon. Comments: this young baby almost iced the old Bonfanti, but that one had a nose that puts it in a different dimension.
SGP:457 - 89 points.

(Thank you François and Tony)

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