Laphroaig 15 Years Old 200th Anniversary Edition (43%, OB, 2015)

• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Laphroaig Distillery
• Bottling: Suntory
• ABV: 43%
• Cost: £99.95

What they say

Laphroaig 15 year old was first created 30 years ago. Barrels were individually selected for their particularly mellow rounded flavour, then batch bottled at the higher export strength of 43% ABV. The resulting flavour soon became a firm favourite winning many awards. Its highlight was being chosen for the famous ‘Erskine Charity Bottling’ in 2000 when 270 bottles were drawn from a single 15 year old cask signed by HRH The Prince of Wales for this charity of which he is a patron.

Our 200th Anniversary edition has been created in exactly the same way as the original. We very much hope it will be a delight both to those who have enjoyed it in the past and for many of you for whom it will be the first opportunity.

Official tasting notes:

• COLOUR: Sparkling gold
• NOSE: Initial scents of grapefruit and fresh mint. A touch of water releases salted caramel, with signature Islay peat smoke underlying sweet orchard fruit aromas.
• BODY: Multifaceted.
• TASTE: Pink peppercorns, light peat smoke with a soft dryness, before a finish of tobacco and faint sea salt.
• FINISH: Mellow with a smoky aftertaste

What I say

As part of the 2015 200th anniversary celebrations at Laphroaig a nod to their classic 15 Years Old expression was made in the form of this rather more limited edition.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Antique gold (8/20)
• Nose: Chalky & dusty, ashen peat, sweet icing sugar & vanilla, cherry? apple & pear fruits, hints of bandages, sticking plasters, antiseptic, slightly phenolic/carbolic, nutty almonds in honey/ almond brittle
• Taste: Cherry throat lozenges, antiseptic iodine?, sweet honey & golden syrup, vanilla icing/frosting, madeira cake, becomes gently peaty bonfire smoke
• Finish: Long, salty shellfish, honey & oysters, dusty and musty peat smoke

Overall

Beautiful expression, lots going on in here alongwith the salt and peat influences, such power in this really brought to mind a dark cherry liqueur.

Score 88/100

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