Laphroaig 16-Year
48% ABV - Islay, Scotland
Nose: Very sweet mesquite smoke, touching on some tropical fruits and an orchard bouquet.
Taste: Tangy sweetness with ash and charred oak wood.
Finish: Charred wood continues in the finish, where there is burnt orange and caramelised fruits on the barbecue. Medium–long length.
This is a peculiar Laphroaig, if I may say so. I am quite fond of the 15-Year, so I had a lot of expectation for some similarity, but I think the quality of the 16-Year pales in comparison. (As an aside, this is the re-release of the 16-Year after it’s appearance for Laphroaig’s 200th anniversary in 2015. It was purchased in the United States.)
Overall, I think it’s still a good Laphroaig and I see the merit, but it’s the second most expensive Laphroaig whisky that I’ve opened—ringing in at $285 CAD. Not a great value, not necessarily a great Laphroaig… but let me come back to reality—any good Laphroaig is a great Laphroaig on any other day!
Note: This Laphroaig 16-Year was tasted with the An Cuan Mòr and 1994 Old Malt Cask 13-Year. Check out the other reviews to see how they compared!
Details: Matured in First Fill ex-Bourbon barrels.
Tasting Notes (Official): [...] intense vanilla flavour and subtle spice notes. (It’s not very descriptive on the bottle—but it has a cool golden band, I suppose!)
Tasted 06 April 2022. (Posted 07 December 2022.)
