The vicarious Feis Ile sessions


June 1, 2021

The vicarious Feis Ile sessions
Today Laphroaig

Celebrating Islay and Feis Ile from Whisky Fun Towers, with carefully selected whiskies from most distilleries, while we're all dreaming of 2022...

Not much to add about Laphroaig. Not a total fan of the myriads of NASes they've been doing for quite some years now, on the other hand it remains a brilliant distillate that ages particularly well (which is precisely why we're not in total awe in front of the NASes). This time, we'll go more or less randomly since we're extremely late with our Laphroaigs at Château Whiskyfun…

Laphroaig 10 yo (40%, OB, +/-2020)

We rather liked it three years ago, but that was after a rather miserable 'Select', the equivalent to a 4-cylinders Porsche (I'm joking, the early 356s and even the 914 were cool). I'm sorry I'm talking about cars but first, aren't Bowmore teaming with Aston-Martin? So much for 'don't drink and drive'. And second, I'm not sure we'll have much to say about this little 'froyg anyway. Colour: straw. Nose: ah, nicer than I remembered it, more on seawater and some really big ashes. Huge ashes, really. Then gherkin brine, but not much medicinalness yet. Banana skin, that's the wood. Some almonds and indeed, after ten minutes, a touch of chest balm. Mouth: the briny smoke is just huge here, we're really drinking some cold, long-infused very tarry lapsang souchong. A rather narrow scope but I find this pleasant. Finish: medium and still extremely ashy. Comments: you'd almost believe they've reduced this one using smoked water. That exists and has nothing to do with neither Deep Purple, nor Frank Zappa. No, no sense at all.
SGP:338 - 83 points.

Laphroaig 'Triple Wood' (48%, OB, +/-2020)

When I first tried the Triple Wood, in 2009, I had thought the idea was terrible. But I found out that the whisky was rather excellent (WF 86). Now I haven't tried it since… And it was a different livery – and a 1l bottle. Of course it would be better with an age statement, but at least we have the vintage in large letters. That's 1815, right? Colour: amber orange. Nose: we said lapsang souchong to the max, well this has even more of that, plus touches of cedarwood and ginger, as well as a little sherry. Simple but pretty lovely. Mouth: modern, a tad woody and too spicy/sour (green pepper) but otherwise pleasant indeed, with a lot of green wood spices, stuff ending with -ol, menthol indeed, resinous wood… I'm reminded of the first Mackmyras from Sweden, I do not know why. Finish: long, saltier and tarrier. The woody oiliness remains there in the back. Comments: a very fine, very modern wood-driven Laphroaig. In fact all this fresh oak and the huge smoke do combine pretty well, but do not leave much room for any other flavours.
SGP:467 - 85 points.

Laphroaig 10 yo 'Original Cask Strength Batch 011' (58.6%, OB, 2019)

I must confess we haven't been following the 10 C/S for years, but this green stripe reminds me of those glorious times when you could find its ancestors in travel retail, which ancestors used to just blow us away. Totally amazing whiskies, with extravagant tropical fruits. Colour: gold. Nose: no tropical fruits that I can detect, only banana skins. But the lemons and the peat in the bottom start rising and bring litres of antiseptic with them. Tell me about a medicinal whisky! With water: some oils (sunflower) and some malted barley, with those huge ashes coming out again. Mouth (neat): well, this is excellent. No subtleties but that's not why we came here. Big grassier peat, salt, grapefruits, mouthwash, pepper, and of course tarry ashes. I'm starting to believe they have a kiln not for malting barley, but for producing ashes! With water: ashes up up up, plus a little brine. We've lost the fruits. Finish: long, ashy, and salty. Only in the aftertaste do we find a wee bit of 'avion' mango. Comments: strictly nothing to do with the early 10 C/S, really, and rather the impression to have a regular 10, only at C/S. Which, now that I'm thinking about it, would make sense. Still very very good, I think.
SGP:358 - 86 points.

We could try to find some ultra-clean very young Laphroaig to see if indeed, they're not making them more 'ashy'…

Williamson 9 yo 2010/2020 (53.9%, Chapter 7, blended malt, bourbon barrel, cask #907, 235 bottles)

Williamson 9 yo 2010/2020 (53.9%, Chapter 7, blended malt, bourbon barrel, cask #907, 235 bottles)
Indeed, Williamson is teaspooned Laphroaig. Did you know that every year during Feis Ile they kidnap a few French tourists and make them pour a teaspoon of Bowmore into each cask, for the whole week? And that those tourists keep coming back? Colour: white wine. Nose: super-briny, really, sour, almost going towards ammonia, with some wild cheese (that those Frenchies had brought) and even 'ideas' of gym socks. Elderberry flowers. Plus, indeed, a lot of smoky ashes. Very singular. With water: calms down but the elderberry blossom's still there. Mouth (neat): much straighter and cleaner, sweet and fruity as well (lemon and pear drops), with even touches of pineapples – that molecule – then huge ashes indeed. A little brutal. With water: pure 'official' Laphroaig, full of ashes with just some lemon drops. Finish: long, same. Comments: unusual and challenging at times, Sonny Boy. Some will adore this for sure, I'll try to remain PC.
SGP:558 - 84 points.

An even younger one…

Laphroaig 6 yo 2011/2018 (52.6%, The Whisky Fair, bourbon hogshead, 306 bottles)

Poor Whisky Fair Limburg! Next year! Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: hold on, this is mirabelle eau-de-vie, smoked. So, mirabelles and smoke. With water: cowshed and horse dung. Really. Amazing what water does to this one, it's almost about to moo. Mouth (neat): have I mentioned mirabelles before? And the eau-de-vie made thereof? Add a little brine if you like, olive oil, green walnuts… In fact this distillate is perfectly simple and simply perfect. With water: no animality this time, only a big gold greener smoke, brine, and a few sourer fruits. Apples? Green mangos? Star fruits? That's all full of antioxidants! Finish: rather long, and now come the big ashes. A little drying. Comments: a fascinating little drop. See you next year in April.
SGP: 367- 86 points.

We've had quite a few already and are still stuck amongst the baby Laphroaigs…

Lp11 2005/2020 (52.2%, Elixir Distillers, Elements of Islay, bourbon barrels, 496 bottles)

The mistake I'm always making is that when I already know that a whisky will be great, I tend to believe that the tasting note will be short and fast. Colour: white wine. Nose: well they called this series 'The Elements of Islay', which is fine enough, but now that I've tried a few, I would say they'd rather call it 'The Essence of Islay'. This is essentially, fully and plainly Laphroaig. It is a sublime drop. Sea, lemon, wool, ashes, chalk, mezcal (yep), riesling, tomato, rhubarb (a new game at WF, spot the odd one out). With water: not necessary. There. Mouth (neat): perfect. Lime, salt, chalk, oysters, grapefruits etc. One theory – well that's a little more than just a theory - could be that once it's reached proper age, Laphroaig's ashes transform into citrus. And later, into tropical fruits. With water: perfect. Nice bitter apples. Finish: long, with all ashes not gone. Drying aftertaste. Comments: we're getting there. High-class Laphroaig.
SGP:457 - 88 points.

Elixir, the floor is still yours…

Laphroaig 24 yo 1996/2020 (51.8%, Elixir Distillers, The Single Malts of Scotland, bourbon, cask #1-104, 217 bottles)

The bourbon cask was a Jack Daniel's. Don't get me started with 'rather Tennessee whiskey' etc. Colour: full gold. Fresh bourbon wood! Nose: ho and oh, early grey in abundance, then banana pie, juicyfruit, plantain, young agricole rum, cigarettes (Camel, the doctors' preferred, or was it Luck Strike?) and a whole pack of liquorice allsorts. This is clearly something else, with American oak having literally absorbed any 'excessive' (I agree that's a judgement) smoke and ashes. Well, time may have helped. With water: there, almond milk, putty, books… That too comes from aging. Mouth (neat): holy smokes! In truth I'm reminded of the old official 30, only with more power. Mangos, bananas, smoked tea, vanilla fudge, mint, salted water… etcetera. With water: salt, lemons, pies, smoked fish, clams, touch of olive oil. Do not add too much water. Finish: fairly long. Scallops terrine with riesling and perhaps a little squid ink and mint sauce. Well done, I'm hungry now. Comments: why not 90, you may ask? Because it does not take water extraordinarily well. Any other questions?
SGP:467 - 89 points.

To Asia if you please… Just like most carmakers and because of the rising economic and environmental costs of transport, the big shots will soon have built twin distilleries in Asia anyway. No?

Laphroaig (59.3%, Douglas Laing/Clan Denny for Or Sileis, Taiwan, cask #DL14131, 264 bottles, 2020)

No age or vintage statements that I can spot here, but we do know this is about kung-fu. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: according to the colour, this is extremely young. The nose is rather on roots, gentian, celeriac, also pears, also sauna oils, also beach sand. Rather intriguing but water may change all this. With water: not really, well it got much earthier. White earth, very calcareous. After some heavy rains. Mouth (neat): this is white indeed, as white rum is white, as blanche d'Armagnac is white, and as tequila blanco is white. So we're extremely close to the 'new make' and I cannot be against that, at least as an experiment. It is an awesome distillate, with peaches rather than pears (a good sign) and a very medical peat. Indeed, medical rather than medicinal. With water: eau-de-vie de peated barley with oysters and a touch of dill. I'm reminded of wild carrot tops. Finish: long, clean, earthy, eau-de-vie-ish. Celeriac eau-de-vie; indeed that exists, we make some in Alsace, it's brilliant on smoked salmon. Comments: I hope I've not been silly and that this is not actually 25 years old (and matured in stone jars then).
SGP:637 - 85 points.

Laphroaig 14 yo 2004/2018 (51.7%, Master of Malt, bourbon barrel)

Laphroaig 14 yo 2004/2018 (51.7%, Master of Malt, bourbon barrel)
Love Master of Malt but they still don't ship to France. Between us, does it make much sense to ship some Mortlach to Dufftown, or indeed, some Laphroaig to the lovely wee town of Port Ellen? Colour: pale white wine. Nose: this one's raw and grassy. I suppose the barrel has been lazy as a sloth on Laphroaig. White peaches, rapeseed oil, samphires, fresh-mown lawn, some green bananas, bamboo shoots perhaps, green melons, palm heart… It is all pretty delicate, certainly not an extravagant Laphroaig. With water: oh, white bread! Mouth (neat): hold on, this is rather something. Tart lemons and grapefruits over crushed chalk, with a little white wine. Something light and sour, perhaps Sylvaner? With water: very good, sweeter and fruitier, on ripe apples, bananas, greengages, melons… Finish: medium, saltier. No big smoke. Big saltiness in the aftertaste. Comments: the smoke was lighter here, but the body solid and rather fat. Another variation that's been rather enticing. Come one, palm hearts?
SGP:456 - 86 points.

An old bottle, perhaps? After all, this is Feis Ile…

Laphroaig 12 yo (91.4 proof, Prime Malt, Selection No.1, USA, +/-1980)

Legendary. I've seen that Sotheby's are quoting WF for this one but since it was Angus who had tried it, I'm happy to say that yours truly is still a virgin. Well, you see what I mean... There is also a 15 yo that Angus has tried, and that I haven't tried either. You see, young people have no respect anymore. Colour: gold. Nose: proper fresh butter, meadow flowers, lighter embrocations, engine oil, honeysuckle, nectarines, touch of Darjeeling tea. Not wham-bam, gentle, almost too shy. But these tend to keep things under their sleeves… Mouth: you bet! Massive smoke, fish oils, sour citrus, bread, seafood (rather shells, clams and all that), turmeric-led spices, then, quite bizarrely, some caramel or black nougat, ristretto coffee, plasticine, heavy liquorice, chewing tobacco, shoe polish, then back to seawater and seaweed (nori, sea lettuce)… What's rather remarkable is that there's almost no tropical fruits, whilst that's supposed to be one of old Laphroaig's main markers. Finish: rather long, one some salty, coastal kind of sourness. A seafood platter. Comments: like most peaters, big peaters tend to age very well in glass. So as soon as you spot a great young one for a good price, I would suggest you buy it and cellar it for twenty to thirty years.
SGP:566 - 93 points.

Good, we're done now. We'll soon do a larger, bigger, fatter Laphroaig session, but this very one is over. Tomorrow, hold on, tomorrow… Right, it's going to be Bowmore Day! We'll try to focus on older bottlings and avoid the wine-or-oak-flavoured NASes like the plague, I promise (cross my heart…)

(Merci KC!)

Over to Angus in Edinburgh...

Lp12 2014/2021 (54.7%, Elixir Distillers 'Elements Of Islay', sherry hogsheads, 1672 bottles)
Colour: bright straw. Nose: putty, canvas, engine oil and soot. Also rather a lot of gutsy notes of tar, brine, anchovy paste and iodine. Indeed, over time it goes more towards these impressions of malt vinegar, capers and green olives in dirty martinis. With water: very briny now and doubling down on this green olive and pickling juice theme. Mouth: mezcal! Seriously, this is Mezcal muddled together with vinegar, seawater and chip fat! Sounds great! Extremely powerful, briny, salty and medicinal. With water: pure peat smoke now, along with camphor, wood ashes, seawater and more tar. Finish: long, ashy, briny, pickled onions, preserved lemons and more anchovy notes. Comments: young, non-nonsense, powerhouse Laphroaig. The sherry was deft but pleasantly 'present', I should add. Although, globally it remains pretty far from 'subtle'.
SGP: 477 - 84 points.

Laphroaig 1998/2007 (55.3%, Queen Of The Moorlands 'Edition XXIII', hogshead, 287 bottles)
I have very fond memories of the time I visited David Wood's excellent wee wine shop in Leek and the legendary Earl Grey Inn, where many of the whiskies for this series were selected. Colour: white wine. Nose: bright, citric and with plenty coal smoke and mineral salts. Wonderfully pure and coastal with an expressive mix of white flowers, pebbles and peat smoke. With water: antiseptic, sheep wool, mouthwash and brine. Mouth: big arrival, all on seawater, sharp notes of grapefruit and gooseberry acidity, lime juice, mercurochrome and some rather gravelly minerality. With water: straight, neat, tidy and pristinely sharp. Finish: long, ashy, sharply smoky, lemon juice and more seawater. Comment: very good, this one became more narrow and chiselled with time and water.
SGP: 357 - 86 points.

Laphroaig 16 yo 1995/2011 (59.5%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, cask #43, bourbon barrel, 201 bottles)
Colour: bright gold. Nose: creamy peat smoke, natural tar, vanilla cream, TCP, wet hessian, sheep wool and camphor. A wonderfully thick and expressive nose that gives a strong impression of texture. With water: wet rocks, fabric, chalk, bonfire embers and more TCP. Also dried heather flowers and pine resin. Mouth: the cask was pretty active here, lots of initial wood spice, paprika, pink peppercorn, capers in brine, olives in pickling juices, tar, embrocations, iodine and cough sweets. Reminiscent of some older batches of the OB 10yo Cask Strength. With water: drier with water now, more towards pure sea salt, brine, salted liquorice, more natural tar, hessian and smoked olive oils. Finish: long, very salty, sharp, almost acridly smoky and briny. Comments: I think this one has some terrific moments, but the cask feels a bit too dominant and it seems to lose its definition slightly with water.
SGP: 567 - 85 points.

Laphroaig 20 yo 1996 (50.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society #29.228 'Cooking with driftwood', refill hogshead, 245 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: silky soft peat smoke, embrocations, beach bonfire embers, scallops and langoustines on a grill, olive oil and some very low level fruits such as lemons and grapefruit. Subtle but very charming so far. Given time it becomes slightly more farmyard influenced. With water: sheep wool, lanolin, muddy hay lofts, game meats and anthracite dust. Rather organic and rustic in style now. Mouth: sweeter peat, smoked teas, lanolin, cough sweets, herbal liqueur and salted liquorice. Quite concentrated and syrupy on the palate, with a few softer notes of dried flowers and bergamot. With water: anchovies and sardines in olive oil, frying pancetta, iodine and malt vinegar. Becomes rather powerful now with water conversely. Finish: long, deeply medicinal, mentholated, briny, camphory and with sharper notes of lemon juice and seawater. Comments: excellent mature Laphroaig, one that would keep you guessing as it frequently seems to alter course in terms of profile.
SGP: 466 - 88 points.

Laphroaig 27 yo (41.7%, OB, refill hogsheads + 1st fill barrels + refill quarter casks, bottled 2017)
From casks distilled in 1988 and 1989. Colour: deep gold. Nose: another style entirely, all on these gorgeous and rather precious tropical fruits. Lots of ripe guava, mango and pineapple with further impressions of papaya, overripe banana, passion fruit and tropical fruit salad juices. Just extremely luscious, ripe and generous, with the most gentle touches of medicine and soft, thready peat smoke. A wonderful nose! Mouth: holds up well despite the ABV. Still focussed on fruits, but also with some sandalwood, mineral oils, seawater, grapefruit and dried herbs. Coastal freshness but also with some more resinous stuff like menthol and wood resins. Indeed, over time the casks do start to have more of a voice with these wee wood spice tones. Finish: good length, with a bigger, more oily smokiness, like puffer smoke, tarry rope, hessian, coal dust and pine wood. Comments: I was worried about the ABV but it's actually a really splendid drop, the fruits in the nose alone are worth the admission.
SGP: 655 - 90 points.

Tomorrow... hold on... right, it's Bowmore Day! We'll try to taste some great old ones that we've never tried before...

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