This Laphroaig was released 6 years ago in a very limited edition of 1536 bottles; today, if you can see one of them, its evaluation has reached impressive heights, close to 1000 euros. Pure madness. And even Claudio Riva, founder of the Italian fan club of the Laphroaig distillery, must be a bit insane. In fact, he shared this bottling with other thirsty enthusiasts during a pre-event at the last Milano Whisky Festival. We took advantage of the crazy gesture and here we are in front of this 30-year-old whisky, matured 60% in ex-sherry barrels and 40% in ex-bourbon barrels, which has been finished in ex-Bourbon barrels from the Maker’s Mark distillery.
N: actually, the extra maturation seems to be felt, not so much for particular notes, but for a general sense of “manifactured whisky”, thanks to a strong influence of wood. Smoking is present, but very delicate, and the marinity lays aside too. So, here a spotless sweetening construction prevails, with intense notes of caramelized peaches, cola, cooked fruit and licorice. Mind you: it’s a nice smell, but for now it doesn’t drive us crazy. Serge talks about polish for wood and chopped oak, and he hits the bull’s eye.
P: lots, lots, lots of wood, licorice and tannin from start to finish. We add a widespread sugariness but not made of flames of flavor, rather a compact mix of brown sugar and caramel. More ripe peaches. In short, little Islay, lots of barrel.
F: quite fast, with a little smoke on the way back, a sense of astringency at times unpleasant and again a vague sweetness.
To comment on this controversial Laphroaig expression, Claudio Riva’s enlightened aphorism seems definitive: “Everyone likes it, but it excites few”. Well, we are among the “everyone” but not among those “few”: 84/100.
Recommended soundtrack: Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
