Laphroaig Lore

Well, the game wasn't the outcome I was looking for, and the haters will still hate (this team has had to deal with a lot of BS talk about being pretenders), but I think it was pretty clear that my Eagles were the best team in the NFC this year, hands down, and that it's also pretty clear they missed being the best team in the NFL by a margin of 3 points. I actually don't think there's been a football season in recent memory where the NFC and AFC were this evenly matched. And although I'm a little bit heartbroken, I'm going to take a moment before I touch on whisky to extend my congratulations to Andy Reid and the Chiefs. Hard fought game. You guys showed true grit. Now I don't mean to gloat here now, but I drank some really good whisky tonight. Highland Park Cask Strength, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Templeton 10 Year Single Barrel, and Laphroaig Lore. I started with the Lore and now I'm ending with the Lore. I started to give my team good luck, hoping for good luck, because the bottle was green and black and white, and I stared with it because it was my best whisky, at least on paper. But paper is never that great because on paper the Eagles defense should have eaten the red and white alive. Paper doesn't always tell you the truth. But the Lore is the Truth. There was obviously a lot of care put into this whisky even if it doesn't bear an age statement, the smoke is prominent but subtle, not overpowering. The trace of ozone that I noted on Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 015 is present in the background as is the ocean spray plus a touch of the sweetness from the sherry cask single malt that's in the mix here. Every aroma here is well balanced on the nose, and the balance continues on the palate. The sherry is mixed with the peat on the palate, such that it reminds me of the Sherry Finished 10 Year or the Talisker DE in many ways. Again, the word that comes to mind is subtle. It's Laphroaig, but it's the most tender version of Laphroaig, like the lullaby version of Laphroaig. Perhaps, what I mean, is that this is the easiest Laphroaig to drink that I've had. It's much better than the 10 Year Sherry Cask. Less complex than the Cask Strength 015 but also a lot less assaulting on the senses. I'd take this over Warehouse 1, and the only thing that really competes is the PX Pedro Ximinez Cairdeas. So, I end the evening with my family in bed, my mom and dad and sister and brother-in-law and sister-in-law having left, alone. Football season is over. I'm taking my wife to a BYOB Wednesday to celebrate Valentine's Day where we'll have a bottle of Sancerre Blanc, and then, because football season is over, it'll be time to go sober-whatever for a month until St. Patty's when I plan to open Blue Spot. Got to let the liver recover a little bit, as we all need to let our livers do from time-to-time. Again, I salute the Chiefs, but I've still got a lot of love for my Eagles. You brought us to the brink. You just couldn't get us to the top of the mountain. I love you anyway.

Continuing my Laphroaig series, up next is a sample of Lore. The nose starts with candied bacon, grilled figs and leather-bound books then a mild campfire smoke, dark chocolate ganache with light sea salt and pipe tobacco followed by caramelized pears, strawberries with balsamic vinegar and dehydrated mango that transitions to mild baking spices, asphalt and polished oak with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting with creamy orchard fruits before a moderate spice that slowly fades to tangy smoked pork belly, grilled figs and leather-bound books then freshly lit pipe tobacco, dark chocolate covered sea salt caramels and almond croissant followed by caramelized pears, sautéed strawberries and mango that transitions to mild baking spices, asphalt and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long, starting with a moderate pipe tobacco smoke that quickly recedes to creamy orchard fruits, dark chocolate covered raisins and candied bacon followed by light baking spices, mild ocean brine, leather bound books and polished oak. This is an exceptional dram that is masterfully composed with soft smoke intermixing beautifully with light sherry, creamy citrus fruits and well-aged oak that has a mild sourness and a higher spice than I prefer on the palate and the finish begins slightly off-putting with a moderate smoky bitter spice that quickly fades to allow for that delightful mix of light sherry, creamy citrus, candied bacon and oak to return and linger for minutes after each sip. At a price of around $140, I think this is a reasonably priced dram that allows for a taste of a tamer and softer side of Laphroaig. Ratings for the series so far: 10-year cask strength batch 11- 3.75 10-year sherry oak finish- 4.0 Lore- 4.0

N: Citrus, red fruit, earthy peat, heather, grass, fresh flowers, orchard notes. Surprisingly lacking is the expected Laphroaig medicinal notes. The softest Laphroaig nose I can recall having. P: Red fruit, caramel, vanilla, toffee, rich bread, orange citrus, pear, vanilla custard bread pudding made with dark rye bread and dusted with cinnamon, butterscotch, some faint coffee notes and bitterness, smoked nuts and veggies come in after a while in the glass. Rich and decadent mouthfeel. F: Bread, some mineral notes, oak, cinnamon, dash of heat (feels oaky), faint hint of that medicinal note you expect (finally), more cinnamon mixed with other baking spices (cardamom, coriander, anise), some tannins on the side of the tongue, a gentle and fragrant peat smoke coming in far later. This doesn't exactly adhere to what you expect from Laphroaig, but it is damn lovely. Rich, decadent, and delicious. Possibly the best NAS single malt I've tried. I would certainly repeat this and am already thinking it would make a lovely gift for other peated scotch lovers. I do wish this traded a little closer to $100, but I'm not upset that I paid a little more than that either. If you find a good price, totally worth grabbing a bottle or two. ____________ Please come join an unofficial Distiller community on Discord (now one whole year old!): https://discord.gg/VSmCvzAQfH. We chat spirits (and other things) in real time while being a great resource to each other for recommendations, finding deals, and generally enjoying the journey together. (If the link is expired (it shouldn't be), please post a comment and I will gladly provide a new one.)

ReReview 48%, Non-chill Filtered with added colour Nose: salt, cedar wood, dark chocolate, ash, extinguished camp fire - sweet, resinous woods like spruce or pine, with a slight bit of dark honey. Palate: dry salted dark chocolate, ashy, cedar wood/bowes, sweet dark honey with a pepper chilli spice tingle, finishing with a lingering sweet smoke finish. I would still classify this as a “gentlemen’s Laphroaig” which I do very much enjoy. It has a thick and oily texture and just screams smoked salted dark chocolate that is a great way to end an evening with friends or a black tie affair. I mentioned earlier that in my market this bottle is quite expensive and that still remains true. Looking at other markets - namely the UK market, I would have no problem paying 65£ to buy this again, and will most likely look to import it personally. 220 CAD at the local government shop is a huge ask, considering exchange, shipping, import tax and retail mark up from the UK is 70-90 CAD less than my local price. Price gripe aside, this is still a favourite of mine from Laphroaig and I will continue to inject its presence in my rotation of 10 year cask strength and cairdeas releases - albeit sparingly. It would be worth noting that I have had this bottle open for the last 2 years and it has not suffered from Laphroaig’s tendencies to go flat in that time, still wonderfully smokey and rich stuff.

48%, Non-chill Filtered with added colour Nose: Smoke, Ashy, Seaweed, Sea Salt Mist and dark Salty Chocolate. Palate: A tamed medicinal Laphroaig peat smoke that turns ashy with bitter chocolate. Finish: a short drying finish that with a long lingering salted dark chocolate sweetness. Dark Golden colour, Oily and thick mouth feel. Tried it side by side with the Laphroaig 10 Year Sherry Cask. Both where lovely smokey whiskies, similar but different. Lore is more refined and less in your face, it has less sweetness and more bitter salty chocolate while the Sherry Oak is more in your face, but is still a softer Laphroaig then what I’m used to on the bourbon side. Meaty maple bacon and sweet smoky chocolate are a common theme with these. I love both and if I had to choose one, the Sherry oak being more then 100$ less would be my choice, I can see this one being a battle of ones individual tastes and how much their bank account can handle.

Nose: briny peat, smoldering campfire, cinnamon, baking spice, warming oak. Dark stewed fruit. Earthy red fruit sherry note. Candied, roasted cinnamon sugar almonds. There is a light gentle vanilla here, that likely faded as the bottle has sat. Some light caramel Palate: full, robust, definitely lives up to the name "richest ever Laphroaig." Strikes an immaculate balance between the sherry influence, the medicinal phenolic peat, and the traditional bourbon/oak cask influences. Not too thick/syrupy and not too thin. You definitely get the signature Laphroaig medicinal note. Briny maritime peat. Smoldering beach bonfire during a rainstorm. Theres warming oak and some barrel char noticeable here. Cardamom and cinnamon. Bitter Dark chocolate as it transitions to the finish. Date/fig/raisin. Seaweed. Finish: long, drying, peaty, but with an underlying tone of substantial oak and baking spice. Dark Chocolate.