It’s been a while since I’ve had Laphroaig, especially the recent Cask Strength batches. Although this was bottled March 2019, Batch 11 took a while before being distributed.
Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength
(58,6%, OB 2019, Batch #011)
Laphroaig 10 yo Cask StrengthNose: great ashy notes and crystal clear malt. Perhaps a little lighter and more focused on bourbonny oak than how I remember the early batches, but still great. A little vanilla ice cream and apple sweetness, lemon curd, then dried herbs, balanced medicinal notes and subtle coastal breeze. Asphalt in the background.
Mouth: more medicinal now. Liquorice and oily peat smoke. Tangy brine, making this a little sharper and leaner than the nose suggested. A light grassy bitterness. Returns on sweet citrus and a hint of vanilla towards the end, as well as a hint of mocha and tobacco leaf.
Finish: quite peppery, with white pepper and acrid smoke, light minerals and lemon.
A really good one, one of the best batches I’ve had, offering intensity and many different nuances while staying really drinkable. Available from The Whisky Exchange for instance.
Score: 88/100