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…
...a little water opens it up quite well. A little too dense if you drink it neat. The water spreads the peatiness and the other flavours come out of the woodwork to sing. A nice long finish that doesn't taste smokey. Interesting.
The one and only mixer one should grace any whiskey with is surely another whiskey!
One finger and I was defeated. I respect those who made it to the bottom of the glass.
Just so happens I love marmite, got into malts about 2 years ago and I have returned to this malt on quite a few occasions. I just can't help it she sucks me in with her peaty Smokey iodine claws every time. I've tried quite a few islay malts and ardbeg 10 is my next purchase so when she arrives let the battle commence. Or in the famous words of Harry Hill which is the best peaty smokey islay out there? There's only one way to find out? FIGHT!
I'm relatively new to the scotch game and this was my first real taste of an Islay single malt. It is markedly different than anything I've tasted before. I'm guessing the smokiness is something that requires a little getting used to. I will give this one another go in a few months. it's been an hour since I enjoyed this scotch and I still taste nothing but smoke. It's like someone had a bonfire in my mouth on a rainy day. Once the smoke dissipates, I will enjoy a dram of Macallan 12yr for "dessert".
