Laphroaig Aged 21 Years Friends of Laphroaig Release Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Volume: 350ml           ABV: 48.4%           Age: 21 Years Old           Country: Scotland           Chillfiltered?: Unchillfiltered

The ballots over and you thought you missed out but you can buy this online at a great price. Islay whisky at its best in a delightful 350ml bottle. Only 6 bottles exclusively for Nippy Sweetie Whiskies customers.

This limited edition was distilled throughout 1993, then aged in first fill ex-bourbon barrels. To add even greater complexity both kiln-dried and air-dried American oak barrels were used to reflect the subtle changes in flavour that occur with the changing seasons. These barrel variations yield a bright gold colour, more intense vanilla flavour and subtle spice notes during the maturation process. Well balanced and complex. Laphroaig 21 years old is the perfect whisky to celebrate 21 years of friendship.

Tasting Notes from The MadVater

Nose: Lively apricots, peaches, stone fruits and jams. Peach cobbler, vanilla and cinnamon. The peat is perfectly balanced being present from start to finish. It’s not overpowering and not faint. Seems to meld into the sweet fruits very well. It’s medicinal but elegantly so. A bit oily and salty like the sea air. Wet wood like being at the docks. Earthy like wet leaves beneath ferns. A bit of that bright green-ness that I get from Hakushu. A bit like fresh cut grass after it rains. Also some dry fruity aromas of white wine.

Taste: Spicy fresh bitter oak. Bitter like unripened fruit. Again the peat is balanced. The medicinal aspects are more pronounced and fuses with the bitter spiciness. Stewed peaches on a graham cracker. Malty biscuits. With more sips the sweetness comes out. The syrup from canned peaches. The syrup from canned mandarin oranges. Very sweet. A bit new rubbery.

Finish: Long spicy dry bitter fresh oak. Wet wood burning smoke. Grass juice. Sweet sweet syrup from canned fruits. Licking new rubber. Zest and rind.

Rating: 9

Afterthoughts: I’m a fan! I like sweet. I like peat. I like when they play nice. This dram does just that. It’s bright and lively. It feels zingy in the mouth. It’s like the bright side of sweet peat. If heavily sherried peat monsters are the brooding dark bad twin, then this is the cheery, bright and witty twin. It’s refreshing and it makes you want to drink more and more. It lifts your spirits so to speak. I wish this bottle weren’t so darn small and so darn expensive.