Laphroaig QA Cask

It’s time for a non-USA, travel retail exclusive whisky from Laphroaig: QA Cask. “QA” is Latin for “quereus alba” and it means white oak. This offering is double matured- the first, typical aging in ex-bourbon cask and the second is fresh, American white oak cask. I find it funny that this is an offering made entirely of American wood, yet isn’t readily available here in the states. What the? It’s pale gold in color and has tons of skinny legs when you spin it up- due to the fact it’s watered down to the bare minimum of 40% ABV. It still retains that oily appearance found in most Laphroaigs, however. The nose is fresh cut oak, vanilla and youthful spirit. The smoke is very subdued and diluted and that makes it seem weaker on the nose than it actually drinks. On the tongue, more similarities: vanilla and oak barrel with a restrained smokiness. Sadly, none of these things seem to mingle together. It’s like you taste the oak and vanilla first, then some smoke and an uncanny dryness. The finish is medium length, with no barrel notes here. Sweet vanilla and the same dry feeling on the tongue. The oily appearance doesn’t transfer over into the actual mouthfeel a bit. It’s odd. Overall, I’m guessing they didn’t offer it over here because other than the faint smoke notes, there’s nothing much different than a weak, American bourbon. Maybe that’s what Europeans are looking for as a change of pace to typical, Islay smoked Laphroaig? The price point (minus international shipping) is very good: $59 for a liter. Lack of complexity and lack of any punch wouldn’t inspire me to purchase this again, but I’m glad I got a bottle to try. It’s purely middle of the road stuff, though. 2.5 stars. Cheers.

Floral peat, and relatively little smoke, characterize this gentle dram. There is not as much fruit sweetness either, but rather a distinct and powerful roasted nut smell (among the strongest nut notes I've gotten from any whisky): both unshelled peanuts and Brazil nuts. Again, this is by far the nuttiest Laphroaig I've encountered. The palate is a bit light and thin (what do you expect at 40%?), with pleasant flavors of coffee, vanilla, and roasted nuts giving it an overall character of mild creaminess. I get very little smoke on the palate, so much so that I didn't even bother writing down peat or smoke in my notes -- a rarity for any Islay scotch. There also isn't either a strong honey sweetness or a citrus sweetness, which suggests to me that the QA barrels are not charred like bourbon barrels. This finishes quickly for an Islay or a Laphroaig, with a pinch of smoke and sweetness, and then roasted coffee, light woody spice, and those nuts again. There's a bit too much lingering bitterness, which is the main flaw in the finish. It's the absence of that unvarnished, powerful peat punch that most people have criticized about QA Cask. That strikes me as a bit unfair -- if this scotch had a Campbeltown label or came from a new distillery, I suspect a lot of critics would be praising it as a well-balanced, lightly-peated scotch. It's also priced about the same as Laphroaig 10 or Quarter Cask, after adjusting for the higher volume of the travel retail bottle, which seems fair. It's better than other online reviews make it out to be. Thanks to Telex for the sample!

Not the best Laphroaig out there. That phrase defines it. The whole time it seemed like they tried to just put another expression on the market, to obtain easy money. Guess this is the first time i haven't really liked something from the Islay mythical distillery. Bottled at 40%abv, golden color. On the nose: first note, your typical fresh can of tennis balls aroma. Classic Laphroaig there. Vanilla ice cream, what a clean note it is. It is undoubtedly vanilla ice cream. Herbal spice like oregano and sown land; earthy. On the palate it fails completely. Too watery, ginger spice, earthy, alcohol and maybe prunes. Not good. Aftertaste gets a little better, with peaty-earthy notes. A little ashy, sulphuric. There is a mild spiciness also. Overall this is a flawed Laphroaig, not their best moment and definitively the exception for every rule. My score: 70 over 100, barely making the 3.5 stars mark.

The nose is surprisingly light compared to other Islay malts. There IS some peat, vanilla, and if I dig in deep, I get some sort of vegetative note in there. It might be the white pepper another gentleman noted. Let's dive in neat, I can't bare to drop anything on 40% ABV. Mmmm! Nice palate. Shockingly more peat and iodine on the palate than anticipated. I gotta go in again... Very close to the 10, but I DO get the slight hint of vanilla. I was scared that it was going to be too much, but I do declare, not so. No earthiness here, so more of a breakfast dram, but no complaints. Reminiscent of the Ardbeg Perpetuum and Lagavulin 8 to me. Enjoy!

Easily the most underwhelming Laphroaig I have ever had. The nose is thin with a bit of lemon pepper, leafy greens, vanilla, green chiles, and slight brine. It's Laphroaig, but an ashamed stepchild version of Laphroaig. The palate is even more underwhelming: a touch of campfire, some ginger, pear, and not much else. It's smooth on the finish...that's it's one redeeming quality. There's a bit of briny campfire smoke, but overall it's quite thin. Not offensive in any respect but completely forgettable. Other than the uniqueness of the label (with it being a traveler's exclusive), there is no reason to ever buy this bottle.

Laphroaig QA (2015 - 168) Bottling Code: L5168MB1 Bottle opened: 12 days Final Review date: 21-5-20 N: Smoky, Medicinal Peat, Citrusy (Lemon), and Herbal notes with a touch of Vanilla. (Watered down QC) (8/10) P: Thin and Watery almost like a Syrup. Smoky, yet on the Sweeter side. Citrus. Oak dominates the palate followed by Vanilla Sweetness. (Watered down QC) (7/10) F: Medium finish with the balance of Smoke, Oak, and Sweetness. Dry and Bitter at the end. (7/10) An easy-drinking Laphroaig for those summer evenings.