Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength, Batch 1, Feb 2009
Old bottle I have, pulled down from behind the Bowmores.
I know this one, and I know what to expect!
Alright, remember the strange still set up – 7 stills, 3 wash and 4 spirit stills. 4th spirit being double the size of the spirit stills. Each batch of Laphroaig’s fermented wort is enough to fill 5 wash stills, so the 3 wash stills are run first, and fed into the 3 smaller spirit stills, then the remaining 2 wash runs are run in 2 of the wash stills, then fed into the 4th larges spirit still, which is intentionally run fast. This results in 2 different tasting new make that are blended before barrelling.
Laphroaig 10 yo Cask Strength, Batch 1, Feb 2009, 57.8%
Nose: Huge. Big medicinal/seaweedy/iodine smack, accompanied by big earthy wet peat. Not a really reeky peat, make no mistake the peat is big, but ‘fresher’ as if the peat was somehow less rotted? Ok, some rubber tyres, hot metal, smoke, some lemon zest and… something like empty cough syrup bottles that you have failed to discard and then being curious you open it up to take a whiff. Mmmm Lovely. Actually there’s some white fruit/strangely scented wax candles in here as well. And lots of ash, the BBQ pit the morning after. With water, more complex! The pungent flavours take a step back and a more complex nose emerges – more hot metal, white fruit, scented candles.
Palette: Dollops of thick peat, thick medicine and seaweed, still a little sweet but it’s odd to think of it that way. Immediately taking a briney turn with tarred ropes and wet suits and dirty salt spray. Becomes leafy now. Something pungent. Sage? And more tannic towards to the finish. Drinkable neat too! With water, actually sweeter, but few other changes.
Finish: Longish, dry, smoke and soot, bit salty, a bit gravelly.
Pretty awesome as a variation of the regular 10. Perfectly drinkable. ‘Most richly flavoured’ is something of an understatement here I think.
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