Laphroaig 10 Year Sherry Oak Finish

There's really no such thing as objectivity in a tasting is there? Any tasting we ever write up is always influenced by prior experience. Your mind searches for comparisons as the liquid hits your lips. What other similar experiences have I had? What's new about this? Is it greater than or less than whiskies of a similar style, age, price? If you've only had Dewar's, Cutty, and Johnnie Walker Red, you're going to have a favorite among those. Then maybe someone introduces you to Johnnie Walker Black. Or Glenlivet. Or Glenfiddich. You try the 12, the 15, the 18. Your world expands. Your old favorites are no longer your current favorite. To my mind, this is a good thing. It means one's growing, expanding the palate, recognizing there's more to life. It's time to get out, get going, see new places, try new foods. The world is large and contains multitudes! The reason I bring this up here is that about a year ago, I could see myself going 4.5 on this one. Granted that's a half star higher than I'm rating this here. It's still a Laphroaig and it's still delicious. But about a year ago, I hadn't had the Laphroaig 2021 Cairdeas PX Cask. I hadn't had the Talisker Distillers Edition. Now if we're searching for comparisons, Talisker DE's a better point to work from. The Cairdeas was 117 proof. It was much bolder and richer than either the DE or the Laphroaig 10 Sherry Oak Finish. What it lacked in an age statement, it more than made up for in power hitting. And of course, while the Cairdeas was $100, both the Talisker DE and the Laphroaig 10 Sherry Cask sell for $84.99, both are 92 proof, and what distinguishes all three, of course, is the sherry finish. Now one of my limitations here is that I couldn't tell you what the difference is between finish a peated scotch in Oloroso (Laphroaig 10 Sherry) vs. PX (Cairdeas) vs. Amoroso (Talisker Distillers Edition). If anyone would care to enlighten me as to what kind of subtle distinction this makes, please feel free to comment or to point me to page in which the distinction is made (yes, I could Google it, I suppose, and I may get around to that; I simply haven' yet). In any case, I also don't have the three lined up side-by-side, but when I opened this bottle Monday night with my dad (to watch our team get trounced), neither of us reacted in quite the same way as we did when we tasted the Talisker DE. If you haven't read my review of the DE, I mentioned that it was the kind of whisky that made me wonder why I ever drink anything else. Perhaps it was simply the mood in the room, as our defense couldn't get off the field. As we watched Washington run the ball down our team's throat. But neither of us seemed overwhelmed that night by how good this whisky is. Don't get me wrong, we weren't underwhelmed either. We liked it well enough that between us, we finished half the bottle. And what's odd, nosing it now, is that I'm not finding a whole lot of difference between this and the Talisker Distillers Edition. The nose has the sweetness of sherry mixed with a savory saline aroma that I suppose here is more band-aid and iodine whereas with the Talisker it was more bacon and sea salt. I suppose in just writing that down, you get the sense that the aroma of bacon and sea salt are likely slightly more pleasing. As it moves to the palate the sweetness becomes more prominent with the peat taking a back seat and a slight hit of chocolate creeping in, though mind you I'm also tasting this after a word dinner Wednesday where I bit off too large a steaming piece of salmon and couldn't spit it out (it was a work dinner) so I moved it back and forth between the sides of my mouth with my tongue until it was cool enough, in the process burning the entire top of my mouth until a curtain of singed flesh hung down. So, I'm at a bit of a handicap palate-wise here. I've got no complaint overall about the flavor, but the mouthfeel is a bit thin. The finish itself lingers for a decent while and is where the peat comes through most prominently, but I'm left wondering here whether the Sherry Oak finish gives it enough umph to justify paying an extra $25 over the regular Laphroaig 10 Year. After all, the original is a classic. This seems like a good one to keep around for special occasions if you can't get your hands on the Talisker Distillers Edition, but all things being equal, I have to favor the Talisker. Not that I'd turn up my nose if this were offered. In fact, my brother-in-law and dad will be back over on Sunday, and I plan to include this in the lineup I'm serving. It's solid. Very good. Just not quite excellent in the way I want it to be excellent. My advice: either go the extra $15 to get the Carideas or save yourself a quarter of a hundred dollars and hit up the original. PS. I still love you Laphroaig.

Nose: Sherry-infused oak, coal tar, phenolic ash, red grapes, fruit and nut chocolate, beef bouillon, a trace of camphor wood and wintergreen. Reduction diminishes the wood presence but brings forward winey notes without changing the phenol profile. Palate: The arrival is sweet with plenty of charred-oak presence and some tangy tannic spice. Wood smoke emerges almost immediately from the oak together with honey-glazed ham, Toscana cigars, charred steak, plums, red berries, black cherries, a little brine and espresso. The texture is pleasantly oily. Reduction does not make a great change apart from amplifying the spicy notes and introducing a bitter edge to the black coffee note. Finish: Medium/Long. The sweet oiliness of the initial palate turns satisfyingly dry in the finish with the tobacco and smoke gaining earthy dimensions. There’s a little pepper but the lingering taste is sweet and smoky. Adding water does not change the length very much, and does not change the phenolic presence. The nose is notably light with regard to the medicinal/iodine note that is a signature of Laphroaig. It is there but the sherry casks hide it to a large degree. Not that this is a fault, as you could just as reasonably say the casks are balancing out a part of the profile that is usually over-emphasised. The profile is definitely sweeter than the standard 10 year old but it also has more depth and roundness. The sherry casks are apparent right from the first nosing. The strength is one of the outstanding aspects of this whisky as it is perfectly suited to the combination of Laphroaig's medicinal smoke and sweet sherry oak, this triad of key qualities existing in precise balance. The blenders got this one absolutely correct and it does make me wish (as always) that the core-range 10 year old was bottled at 46%. This is an excellent alternative take on Laphroaig and it reminds me a lot of Laphroaig PX from a few years back when it was only available as a TRE purchase. The price is also very fair and I’m pleased that this appears to be part of the new core range. When it was originally released this was called “Sherry Oak Finish” and was packaged in a cardboard cylinder with metal base and cap. Now it is now shipped in a cardboard box and the name has changed to “Sherry Oak Cask Finish”. I do not know whether the change in name has any significance but I’m going to assume that it is the same product as before with just a change in livery and labeling. This is a punchy modern style of scotch whisky but it is very well composed and balanced. It also does not change much over time. The bottle that I’m tasting now has been open for 10 weeks and is about half full but there has been little change. Some of the initial bright berry notes have faded a little, I think, but it has also softened and relaxed. The pleasantly pungent presence of very good sherry oak is absolutely still there and it is one of the best qualities of this dram. Recommended, I’ve already bought a second bottle. “Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)

My journey with Laphroaig began, as it does for many, with a swift kick to the senses. The classic 10 year old, a fiery peat bog, a saline-soaked rope, a medicinal iodine bomb, was a punchy, unapologetic affair. It was the whiskey equivalent of a grizzly bear hug; you knew it was coming, and you braced for the impact. I learned to love it, in a masochistic sort of way. It was a single malt for the bold, a liquor for the weathered. But I’ve never been one for convention. When I heard whispers of a new Laphroaig, one that had dared to cozy up with a sherry cask, my curiosity was piqued. I imagined the brutish peat and the sweet sherry in a bare-knuckle brawl, a clash of titans with my taste buds as the arena. I uncorked the bottle and a softer, more alluring scent wafted out. Gone was the sharp, medicinal air, replaced by something… delicate. A field of white gardenias, their petals plump and sweet with dew, had somehow blossomed in the midst of the peat bog. I leaned in closer, a strange sense of cognitive dissonance taking hold. My first sip was a revelation. It was still Laphroaig, unmistakably so, with a familiar warmth of a crackling bonfire. But it was a bonfire built with different wood. The brash, saline assault had been replaced by a subtle, creeping heat. Like a quiet, slow-burning chile-infused honey, it coated my tongue, a gentle warmth that promised something more. A hint of orange rind, like a sunbeam through a stained-glass window, brightened the smoky darkness. Then came the surprise. A quiet sweetness, a deep, dark fruitiness emerged. It was the sherry, of course, but it wasn't the cloying, jammy sweetness I'd expected. It was the sophisticated, almost-bitter sweetness of a dark chocolate bar, its richness tempered by the earthy notes of the peat. And within that chocolate, a hidden treasure: the succulent, dark heart of a fig, a whisper of a promise of things to come. This Laphroaig was not the grizzly bear I'd grown to love. This was a different beast altogether. It was a paradoxical creature—a gentle giant, a delicate brute. It was a whiskey for a quiet evening, a thoughtful dram that invited you to sit back and ponder its many layers. It was Laphroaig, but it had grown up, softened its edges, and learned a few new tricks. And I, for one, was very happy to have met this new, unconventional friend.

I have always been a big proponent of distilleries offering a variation of their flagship offering. Of those that do, Laphroaig has been one of the more impressive with its 10-year CS. Enter the Laphroaig 10-year Sherry Oak Finish. A second variation of an already superb standard bottling. Instead of cranking it up to cask strength, we get a nice boost at 48% ABV and an additional sherry oak kick. Nose: Iodine, band-aid, brine, sea salt, seaweed, and chestnut. Heavy oak and some tennis ball, though the sherry notes overpower it where it usually shines in a Laphroaig. Cranberry, raspberry, raisin, and cola. Vanilla and caramel. Custard and mint chocolate. Cinnamon and black pepper spice. Palate: Salty dog, this one. Ballpark hot pretzel. Sea salt and brine with some seaweed. Grilled spinach. An interesting mix of campfire and hookah smoke. Smoked brisket. Mint chocolate and dark chocolate. Salted caramel. Raspberry and chocolate-covered strawberry. Black bean and red pepper chili. Oak spice. Finish: Sea salt, brine, iodine, band-aid and campfire smoke. Mint chocolate. Salted caramel, vanilla. Cinnamon and black pepper. Black bean, red pepper chili. Oak. Long finish. I think this is a fantastic addition to the Laphroaig core line. One of the better and more unique variations I’ve had to date. We’re this a Diageo product, it’d be called “Laphroaig Distiller’s addition.” As it is, I’d say the sherry oak component gives this a bigger boost than anything that series has had to offer. 5/5. If it was not already apparent, I am a huge fan of this one. It’s high-octane, yet the sherry cask adds a ton of nuance that the standard 10-year misses on. At $85, this hits its mark for VFM—and then some. Buy on sight. Well done, Laphroaig.

Continuing my Laphroaig series is a sample of their 10-year sherry oak that was generously provided by @ctbeck11 The nose starts with a mix of tangy smoked short ribs, cherries jubilee and moderate campfire smoke then dark chocolate mocha, light diesel fumes, mild ocean brine and toasted hazelnuts followed by bacon wrapped dates, caramelized pears and blood orange sorbet that transitions to light baking spices and freshly opened can of tennis balls with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy red berries before a mild spice that quickly fades to tangy smoked short ribs, strawberry shortcake and moderate campfire smoke then dark chocolate mocha, burnt rubber, sun soaked asphalt, mild ocean brine and toasted hazelnuts followed by bacon wrapped dates, caramelized pears and blood orange sorbet that transitions to light baking spices and freshly opened can of tennis balls with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long, starting with a mix of dark chocolate covered candied bacon, grilled figs and sautéed strawberries that fades to moderate campfire, asphalt, light ocean brine and freshly opened can of tennis balls that lingers for minutes. This is a wonderful smoky and sweet dram that the peat and sherry work perfectly together to create this balance of rich smoked meats along with creamy citrus, berries and mild earthy notes that lingers long after each sip. At a price of around $90, I’d happily buy one of these on sight next time I see one and think this is an absolute stunner of a dram by Laphroaig that thankfully isn't outrageously priced these days. Ratings for the series: 10-year cask strength batch 11- 3.75 10-year sherry oak- 4.0

Continuing the Laphroaig tasting that availed me over my family celebration, my friend, who also had available 16 year, I was eagerly wanting to try this one. Amongst drinking with family, finding a moment to do so presented a challenge in and of itself. N: Take sugary figs, wrap them in salty bacon. As you take in that savory aroma, camphor, pine nuts, brown sugar filling, burning rubber tires, grape jam, dark honey, burnt toast burst onto the nose. A wonderful potpourri of disparate aromas. P: The palate takes on a front of toffee sweetness. That sweetness does slowly subside making way for black pepper, soot, vanilla, dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate, marmalade, grape jam and grilled figs. The palate is just swirling with these flavors spinning around, sideways and all about. F: The palate remains wonderfully coated with sooty cigar ash with brown sugar, dark chocolate orange zest, roasted coffee grinds, brine, and maraschino cherries. The best part of all is that these disparate flavor gel wonderfully and are almost eternal. O: This is one of the best Laphroaig’s I have tasted. A plethora of aromas sand flavors. The sherry finishing just takes a top notch 10 year and pushes it to an even higher level. The interplay of sweetness, brine and phenols keeps the nose and palate active. One of the better finishes from a whisky. Well worth a purchase. Can be found for at a fair price. [Tasted: 7/3/23][92/100]