Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batches 8 & 9 Single Malt Review

Although visiting Laphroaig Distillery is probably still one of my favourite ever whisky highlights I can’t say that their actual core range whisky ever strikes much of a chord with me.

Of all their current core range it’s only the Quarter Cask that I’d probably buy. The regular 10 is under proofed, the 10 year old Sherry Oak was meh and the Lore was, well a bore. 

It’s only when Laphroaig, in official bottlings, is at cask strength that I really seem to enjoy it probably because of the extra oomph the abv provides and also because at cask strength they are generally not chill filtered.

I’ll provide links to my other Cask Strength reviews but here are my thoughts on Batches 8 & 9 of Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength. On a geeky side note I was disappointed that I didn’t get batch 7….hopefully you’ll see why in the photos.

Let’s Taste!

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 8.     59.2% abv/118.4 proof

Ex-bourbon matured/barrier filtered.

Nose: Medicinal & phenolic – iodine, brine, sticking plasters, flint and freshly laid bitumen. Surprisingly soft as regards the peat smoke but it is there like a slow burning kiln in the background. Black licorice, heather honey, sawdust and citrus oils. Cinnamon bark, kelp and garden mint. Some smoked pork too.

Water releases salted caramel, furniture polish, apricot and more peat smoke.

Palate: Lots of honey and vanilla sweetness upfront along with shortbread followed by crisp peat smoke. Kendal mint cake, TCP, a sea soaked pebble beach, dulse, white pepper and a touch of ginger. Lemon and orange slices. Cocoa, cask char, smoked meat and tar.

Water means the texture is lost a little it the sweetness continues along with seaweed, flint and the TCP is dialled up along with the peatiness.

Finish: Medium to long with warming medicinal peat along with bourbon cask sweetness, mint and baking spices.

Score: 8 out of 10

Overall: A superb drop of Laphroaig showing that Beam Suntory and indeed Laphroaig distillery itself can still produce excellent whisky. Way more complex than the standard 10 year old as it’s actually less about the peat. The extra abv and the lack of filtration allows it to be more nuanced and engaging and let the combination of cask and distillate shine.

Laphroaig 10 Year Old CS Batch 9 58.1% abv

Ex-bourbon maturation/barrier filtered

 

Nose: Caramel mixed with phenolic smoke and dried seaweed. Smoked lemon, pepper, cured meat, iodine and mint. Ash.

Water adds orange peel, ginger and creosote.

Palate: Honey glazed apples and peaches followed by salted caramel and vanilla. TCP, white pepper, oak shavings and sugary pastries. Leather and black tea.

Water gives us a bit more pepper heat now as well as soot and it lost texture very quickly.

Finish: Just about medium in length with lingering caramel sweetness, candied citrus and phenolic smoke.

Score: 6 out of 10

Overall: Probably my least favourite Laphroaig cask strength release that I’ve tried. Saying that it is still much better than the core 10 year release. Like the core 10 though this cask strength release was more about ash & peat and was limited on the fruit note or bourbon cask sweetness side of things. Solid enough but a definitely not as complicated as Batch 8.

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