Review #: 333
Description: Laphroaig 32 Year Cask Strength
Spirit: Scotch
Background: This is a distillery offering of 32 year old single malt scotch from Laphroaig. Bottled in May of 2015, meaning it was distilled back in 1983, and was aged entirely in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Released for the 200th anniversary of the distillery, at the time of tasting this is the oldest scotch I have tasted (and I suspect it will hold that title for a while).
Distillery – Laphroaig
Bottler – Laphroaig
Brand – Laphroaig
Selection – N/A
ABV – 46.7%
Age – 32 Years
Nose – You can detect the peat, but it’s swirled together with milk chocolate, vanilla frosting, roasted tree nuts, smoked plums, raisins, molasses, apple cider vinegar, sea breeze, buttered popcorn
Taste – Vanilla cream, molasses, maple syrup, touch of smoke and sea salt, burnt cinnamon, shortbread, red apple
Finish – Peat ramps up but in a “controlled burn” if you will, salted caramel, ginger, iodine, spicy cinnamon
Score: 9
Would I buy a bottle? This is fantastic whisky. I wouldn’t pay $1200 for any bottle, but if you have that kind of money, you won’t be disappointed with it.
Thoughts: This was super delicious. The peat has held up surprisingly over 3 decades but the cask doesn’t dominate. It’s super well balanced and integrated. The ONLY thing I wish was it was a bit richer and fuller feeling. Just a tad bit thin and that is what keeps it from being perfect. But damn is it good.