Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr
48% ABV - Islay, Scotland
Nose: Light smoke, with some light fruits—currant, nectarine. Good rolling ash cloud of smoke and medicinal wisps.
Taste: Very chewy… lots of flavour to discover. Fruits, braised meat. Stewed fruit (that reminds me of the Triple Wood) and a pleasant backbone of peat smoke leading into the finish. Spices.
Finish: Medium-long with lots of smoke and a fruit sweetness. Nearly drying with some oak as it fades. And, after reading the tasting notes, perhaps a bit of apricot.
This is one of my favourite Laphoaigs… I’ll call it within the Top 5 as of this writing (I’m always finding new favourites!) I think that it is very well balanced between the fruits and the smoke, and it’s overall an elegant version of the medicinal Laphroaig.
I paid $175 CAD for this bottle about half a year ago (2021)—opening it a few days afterwards! I’ve worked through about one third now, having shared some out too. It’s a really, really good whisky. However, it’s unfortunately difficult to find! The Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr is a Travel Retail Exclusive… and, from my experience, it’s uncommon to find at duty free stores. Get it if you see it!
Note: This Laphroaig An Cuan Mòr was tasted with the 16-Year and 1994 Old Malt Cask 13-Year. Check out the other reviews to see how they compared!
Details: An Cuan Mòr means "Big Ocean". Matured in First Fill ex-Bourbon barrels in the famous Warehouse No. 1—"just a stone’s throw from breaking waves"—and finished in "the finest European Oak".
Tasting Notes (Official): [...] an extraordinary fusion of flavours, from the unmistakable peat of our spirits, to the soft and spicy caramel tones of the American wood, to the big, rich "burnt apricot and raisin" notes that European oak is so famous for.
Tasted 06 April 2022. (Posted 07 December 2022.)
