Scotland, 40%
Laphroaig (La-froyg) single malt Scotch whisky has always kept itself a bit remote,like the islanders of Islay themselves.A touch aloof at first,but make the effort,broach acquaintance ,and you'll have a warm and genuine friend for life.
Take it neat like a stalwart,or with a splash of soft water.Roll it around on your tongue.Release the pungent,earthy aroma of blue peat smoke,the sweet nuttiness of the barley,the delicate,heathery perfume of Islay's streams.Close your eyes,and imagine the waves lapping Laphroaig,"the beautiful hollow by the broad bay"
Nose: This opens on big, smoky muscular peat notes. There are spices, and liquorice, as well as a big dose of salt. This whisky has become slightly sweeter in recent years, and it appears beautifully on the nose, amidst the classic iodine/sticking plasters and cool wood smoke we love.
Palate: Seaweed-led, with a hint of vanilla ice cream and more than a whiff of notes from the first aid box (TCP, plasters etc). The oak is big, and muscles its way into the fore as you hold this whisky over your tongue. An upsurge of spices develop – cardamom/black pepper/chilli.
Finish: Big and drying, as the savoury, tarry notes build up with an iodine complexity.
