Of malt whisky, cider and other drinkables. Carpe aqua vitae.
Nose: Light smoke, newly baked buns with egg cream filling. Sweet orange. Water adds bite and bitterness and some green wood.
Palate: Cold smoke and ashes, coal. Water brings out vanilla and malt and (honeydew?) melon.
Comments: It’s Laphroaig and it’s nice, but I am somewhat underwhelmed.
This is a special bottling Laphroaig did last year exclusively for the Scandinavian market.
Nose: Smoked and barbequed meat, bonfires and cheese. I get Applewood vibes and that is never a bad thing. With water there is less meat and more ashes, but also red berries and smoked seaweed.
Palate: Less interesting than the nose, but very nice. Fridge ice and ashes. Water sharpens the taste and brings out a slight bitterness and orange peel.
Comments: Perfectly drinkable at full strength, but water gives it another dimension. A great dram. The only negative thing I can think of is a somewhat short finish, the smoke lingers but nothing else.
Nose: Smoke, something fruity and candle wax. More waxy with water, which also brings out malt.
Palate: Fireplace, camp fire, sweet smoke. More bitter smoke with water, burned orange peels, but also a fair bit of sugar.
Comments: Too sweet on the palate for my taste, but still an ok dram.
This bottling is exclusive for Travel Retail (for the time being). The whisky has been finished in new American oak casks (quercus alba). According to Laphroaig this finish achieves ” a blend of peat smoke balanced with warm, spicy vanilla notes.”
Nose: Smoke, a hint of liquorice, cold smoke. Water brings out vanilla and an intense apricot chocolate filling (the Norwegian Twist Aprikos, just the filling), as well as something a bit flowery and yeasty baked goods.
Palate: Smoked, cold rock. With water vanilla and yeasty baked goods.
Comment: Neither the nose nor the palate provides the classic Laphroaig medicinal character. It should also have been bottled at a higher strength (40%? Why, oh why?), but otherwise it is quite nice.