Whisky Review – Laphroiag 18

Booze Review

By G-LO on July 20, 2011 • ( 16 Comments )

Whenever the family asks me what I want for either (a) Christmas, (b) my birthday, or (c) Father’s Day, there is a very good chance that I will say whisk(e)y. Although I occasionally get some moaning and groaning (“Whisky? Again?” is what they usually say), they eventually realize that I am extremely particular and know exactly what I want. Thankfully, I was given a bit of cash for Father’s Day, so to the liquor store I went!

Since I was visiting my Mamma and Papa in South Philly one night a couple weeks ago, I decided to stop by one of the newer Pennsylvania State Liquor Stores to see what they had in stock. Although they don’t always have a great selection, at least the pricing is consistent throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania (the only variable would be a sales tax levied by a municipality in addition to the usual state sales tax). I have seen the Laphroaig 18 at various liquor stores in New Jersey, but the wide pricing variability ($65 to $85 per bottle) has kept me from buying it, so when I saw that it was selling for $60 in Pennsylvania, I just had to pick it up. Here’s what Laphroaig has to say about their 18 year old expression:

“This 18 year old expression of Laphroaig is made in limited quantities each year and savoured by a fortunate few.  A soft, sweet and spicy Islay peat smoke greets you when you first open the bottle.  The immediate taste is an oak sweetness, from 18 years in the barrel.  A faint hint of the sea can be detected, testimony to its time maturing on the remote island of Islay. Bottled at 48% ABV and non-chill filtered for a depth of taste and texture.”

And now for the review…

• Appearance: Light amber color. Long, thin, slow moving legs form after giving the glass a good swirl.
• Aroma: Light brown sugar. Toffee. Hints of smoke. Slight medicinal smell lurking in the background.
• Taste: Smooth and oily mouthfeel. That first sip showcases some light smokiness and hot cinnamon. The flavors linger on the tip and sides of your tongue. A black pepper kick starts at around mid-palate, leading you to a warm, long lasting, and spicy finish. There was a slight black licorice and anise aftertaste which I found to be very appealing.

Although this is only my second Laphroiag purchase (the Quarter Cask was my first), I consider myself a “Friend of Laphroiag“, and am proud to be an owner of my very own “Square Foot of Islay”. Sorry. I couldn’t resist throwing some of that Laphroiag marketing speak into this review. Silliness aside, I really enjoy this whisky! Eight more years in the barrel has smoothed out some of the Laphroaig 10’s rough edges, but it hasn’t domesticated it completely. After my initial analysis, I added a good slosh of water to see if it would mellow a bit further. It didn’t. The water softened it a bit, but all of the subtle smoke and spice still carried through. If you like a rich, flavorful, and complex whisky, then you must give this a try and tell us what you think.

Slainte mhath!

Categories: Booze Review, Laphroiag

Tagged as: Blog Menu, Friends of Laphroiag, Islay, Laphroaig, Laphroiag 18, Laphroiag 18 Review, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, Philadelphia, Review, Sales Tax, Single Malt Scotch, South Philly, Square Foot of Islay, Whiskey, Whisky