Released in 2004, this bottling was aged for around five years before being finished in a quarter cask for several months, the size of the cask is quite small, thus does not require such a long maturation. This remains a truly great achievement from Laphroaig.
Oily and buttery nose, with toffee, nuttiness, hickory, bicarbonate of soda, rum and raisin ice cream and zest.
Big rush of sweetness, in fact it’s an explosion of sweetness, with fiery chilli heat, TCP, sweet cereals and a touch of cola syrup.
Medium-length, but becomes fruity, with custard and cigar smoke.
Worst thing i ever tasted. Outdated medecine mixed with with pure alcool aged in a dirty bottle is what it tastes like to me....
If you like Lagavulin 12, Ardbeg Uigeadail, this one is perfectly balanced. For me, its all about smoke and with this one, you are served.
I enjoy Islay whiskies and I like smoky whiskies, too. This one from Laphroaig ticks all the boxes. True story: I poured a very small dram (about half a shot), added a few drops of water and a small chip of ice, just the way I like it. I put it on my nightstand in my bedroom, planning to enjoy it while reading before bed, then went to finish up some things in the living room. I got distracted and didn't go back to my bedroom for about half an hour. When I opened the door and walked in, the aroma from the Laphroaig greeted me strongly. Amazing! The nose on this whisky is incredible. The smoke and peat, of course, takes centre stage, but there's also a bit of salted nuts and sweet citrus peel in there, too. It's complex and it's lovely. From what I've read, the Quarter Cask spends about five years on ex-Bourbon oak (there's your sweetness) and an additional 7-8 months in the quarter casks for finishing, supplying that fresh woodiness. Bottled at 48% ABV and non-chill filtered, this is a serious whisky for serious Islay aficionados, worthy of not just drinking but pondering. It's like a charred, burned-out hunk of wood was rolled in syrup and soaked in alcohol. Absolutely fantastic, and a day later, the memory of the aroma is as powerful as the actual experience. Very happy to have picked up a bottle of this, and it surely will not be my last. I'm fortunate to live where I can get a full liter bottle of the Laphroaig Quarter Cask from a duty-free warehouse for the equivalent of just £17 (or £12 for a 700mL bottle), so this will be my go-to Islay for a while.
I've tried and spent a lot of money on 10 YO, 15 YO, 18 YO, and Triple Wood. This is the best of the lot. I'll never buy any of the previously mentioned again. Not that they are bad whiskeys, it's that Quarter Cast, to me, is better than the rest so, why spend the extra money on 15 and 18 when you can spend a few more dollars than 10 YO and get a way better whiskey! Being of Scottish heritage, it just a better value to me! Cheers!
Colour: Golden amber. Nose: Heavy peat, smooth smoke, too much complexity to describe here. The nose discerns so much more than words can convey. Body: Medium to slightly thick. Just perfect. Palate: Smokey peaty sexiness. Spicy fruitiness in the background but like the smell the taste is so much more than I can adequately describe here. Just amazing stuff. Finish: Long but not so long as you don't want to keep sipping away to reinvigorate your tongue. Utterly intense, complex and beguiling. Smokey and peaty but also sweetly alluring. On the nose it's scent is heavenly. And to top it all off its very affordable when you consider it's grand status. Like the distilled tears of angels. Sublime.
