The Whiskyphiles

SMWS 29.150 Hand rolled Cuban cigars

Laphroaig 18 Years Old 1995 29.150 Hand rolled Cuban cigars (59.2%, SMWS, Refill Bourbon Barrel, 197 Bottles, 2014)

  • Islay single malt scotch whisky
  • Origin: Laphroaig Distillery
  • Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Cask 29.150
  • ABV: 59.2%
  • Cost: £69.70

SMWS 29-150

What they say

Cask No. 29.150

We all agreed that we are visiting a harbour watching the fishing boats unloading their catch which is mostly shellfish like clams, mussels, oysters and scallops. It is early in the morning and aromas of bacon rolls with brown sauce are mingling with the fresh, salty sea breeze. The taste is chewy and juicy like wine gums but at the same time there is the earthiness and smokiness of a peat hearth combined with the spiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg. With water turning fresh and fruity like an apple ginger lemon juice, sweet as a vanilla cupcake and the flavours of sweet tobacco – premium hand rolled Cuban cigars.

Drinking tip: Switch off and let the world go by

Date Distilled: 4 April 1995 Colour: Peach gold Age: 18 years Flavour : Heavily peated Cask Type: Refill ex-bourbon barrel Whisky Region: Islay

What I say

Sampled during Water of Life Society (WoLS) meeting 30/01/2014 – Edinburgh Whisky Blog (EWB) Prohibition Tasting

An 18 year old Laphroaig (SMWS distillery #29) from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. Distilled on 04/04/1995, bottled at 59.2% ABV for a total outturn of 197 bottles. During the prohibition-era in the U.S. many inventive ways (both legally and illegally) were found to get around what was basically an unenforceable ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol. One of my favourite anecdotes from this period is that the super-peaty Laphroaig whisky from Islay was so full of phenols that it was considered purely medicinal as nobody would drink it for pleasure. In actual fact it was legal for medical doctors to prescribe alcohol (whisky?) for medicinal purposes. The extent to which this took place made a mockery of the law, much of the medicinal whisky (or correctly – whiskey) came from the hundreds of distillers still in the U.S. producing spirit “unexcelled for medical purposes” but in practicality was exactly the same content in the bottle as pre-prohibition. Tiger and Chris also thought it particularly fitting that this bottle was named after another highly prohibited item in the U.S.

Score 89/100

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Barry Bradford
About me? I am a Whisky Educator, Travel-Tourist and Blogger. I blog tasting notes about (mostly Scotch) beer and whisky at The Whiskyphiles. I keep progress of my travels via the Alfred Barnard Society. Based in Livingston, Scotland I do most of my dramming at the University of Edinburgh Water of Life Society and Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
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