Laphroaig 10 Year Old is an iconic Islay single malt whisky, renowned for its heavily peated profile. Expect intense smoke, medicinal iodine, and a hint of seaweed. This whisky captures the bold spirit of Islay and is one of Scotland's most characterful drams. Islay's world-famous Laphroaig distillery is known for its medicinal malts, and its signature 10-year-old is no exception thanks to its full maturation in bourbon barrels, which serves to highlight that individual distillery character. This beauty has won a slew of industry awards over the decades and we love it.
Non-chill filtered for maximum flavour. A must-have for peat lovers!"
Our tasting notes feature a contribution from the longest-serving distillery manager in the brand's history, the wonderful John Campbell, who worked at Laphroaig from 1994 until 2021.
This opens on big, smoky muscular peat notes. There are spices, and liquorice, as well as a big dose of salt. This whisky has become slightly sweeter in recent years, and it appears beautifully on the nose, amidst the classic iodine/sticking plasters and cool wood smoke we love.
Seaweed-led, with a hint of vanilla ice cream and more than a whiff of notes from the first aid box (TCP, plasters etc). The oak is big, and muscles its way into the fore as you hold this whisky over your tongue. An upsurge of spices develop – cardamom/black pepper/chilli.
Big and drying, as the savoury, tarry notes build up with an iodine complexity.
The only malt from Laphroaig’s range that John Campbell recommends with water; try it, it opens up the palate massively, providing a dazzling array of additional flavours…
The trick to laphroaig is to give it a chance. The first time is definitely an attack on the senses... TCP etc. BUT... keep trying. It is now my go to tipple, It has a great complexity of tastes, and none of them that original TCP theme, The smell you first experience also completely changes. Just give it a chance.
Smells and tastes like TCP. I’d read it had an aroma of hospital but Good God!!
It came highly recommended from a friend in Northern Ireland First whiff fits with many comments, hospital. But after some more teasing sniffs, I found some Smokey peat aroma. First taste was confusing, first mediciney with the after taste of earth. Taking it slow I can start to sense the caskes, smokey and peat flavor as it slips easily down. I am enjoying.
Smooth finish, and not completely unpleasant but it tastes like band aids with a bit of the sea. Wanted to like it, and I like most single malts really, but the band aid flavor is too overwhelming
I have bought so many bottles of this over the years, but these days it is not the same drink. The smoke has been toned down. Maybe the bottles are varied for some reason. I once got a bottle that was obviously a cheap blended whisky and not Laphroig, but that was years ago. Now most bottles are a weaker tasting drink however. The whole room used to smell of peat if you poured a Laphroig. Laphroig! What have you done?!
