For the Laphroaig Oak Select, the Islay distillery has taken whisky from a number of different types of cask, including oloroso sherry butts, white American oak, Pedro Ximenez seasoned hoggies, quarter casks, and first-fill bourbon casks. Quite a selection, wouldn't you say? A laid-back addition to the Laphroaig core range of single malts.
Classic, medicinal peat notes up front, supported by citrus-y, chocolate-y sweet notes and soft barley.
The peat is there, but it's taking it easy and letting the bright notes of lemon, green apples and mint stand out. Darker baking spice notes develop further on.
Medium length, peat remaining in sight until it's over.
It doesn't pack a huge punch of peat, which might be just the ticket for introducing someone to the wonders of Islay's smoky expressions.
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"Laid back" looks suspiciously like a euphemism for "not very good". I have not actually tried it, so this is not a review, but a marketing alert. Sounds like some sub-par casks have been blended, bottled and punted out way overpriced. May even (wild guess) be matured in hybrid casks made up of assorted staves of the woods mentioned in the description (such casks exist in the industry I am told- and are shipped in, flat-packed in bits). I would imagine it's like a supermarket generic Isla- you wouldn't complain at £20- but £36 is a joke. Like I say-- I don't know-- it's only an opinion based on it having no age statement... which is a bit much for something that costs £36 . Probably for the US market where they murder it with ice and won't know good from bad.
If stronger peat and smokey notes is not limed avoid this. The sweet note is easy noted but an almost over powering peatnote first assaults the senses.. Four drops of water opened this to develip the subtelr tobes. Interesting but not to my taste
I found this an enjoyable change from the big peated Islay's. Sure its a tad different and mellower for want of a better word, but this is a good thing IMHO & theres no mistaking it's origins & I will definately buy again
Ive tasted different styles of Laphroaig. With an open mind Select is very good, IT has Laphroaig s typical peat, but abit laidback and sweet and abit like a smoked cherry ricola.
The entry isn't quite as smoky and smooth as my beloved Laphroaig Quarter Cask, but it mellows out nicely in very short order. The smoky peat on the nose is not reflected on the palate whatsoever. Those who appreciate a big, bombastic Laphroaig will find the Select Cask frightfully plain. There's a sweetness here that in some ways balances the peat, but in other ways, almost overshadows it. There is definitely a vaguely medicinal note in the body of the palate, for me a bit off-putting, but still manages to pique my curiosity. I can certainly pick out the spices -- cloves, allspice, nutmeg all come to mind. On the whole, this is a whisky that's hard for me to gauge. Do I like it? Do I not? I wouldn't be comfortable saying an emphatic yes or no to either question. Basically, if I were given a bottle, I'd accept it and drink it gratefully. However, for roughly the same money, I can get the vastly superior (in my opinion) Quarter Cask. I like the Select Cask okay, but I doubt I'll buy another bottle, particularly if the QC is sitting next to it, beckoning.
