Laphroaig 25 yo Cask Strength Bottled 2013

The reviewed bottle has been open for 12 days and is 75% full

Colour: pale yellow, but not extremely light

Nose: crisp, slightly bitter peat is the first to greet, followed by soft mellow sweetness on a bed of mouth-watering brine. Smoke is light to moderate, and perfectly matches the refined laid-back elegance of the nose of this particular bottling. The balance of all elements is excellent. What you smell here is well-aged near-perfection. You could enjoy this nose for an hour. This is mellow with water added, but water lessened complexity. Score: 24/25

Taste: enough bitter peat intensity to satisfy the peat-head, and slightly more bitter than in the nose. Brine is quite strong. This is a fine palate, though not quite the equal to the exquisite nose. Water bundled the flavours and offered no advantage. Score; 23/25

Finish: long strong gradual fade out. With water, same comment as under "Taste". Score: 22.5/25

Balance: excellent in the nose; very good in the mouth. Score: 23/25

Total Sequential Score: 92.5 points

xxxxxxxxxxx

Strength: strong flavours throughout, sometimes becoming very strong. Score: 23/25

Quality: very good to excellent quality of the component flavours. This whisky is an icon of the long-aged Laphroaig peaty-smokey style. Score: 23/25

Variety: plenty of heavy-Islay-style variety. Score: 22.5/25

Harmony: excellent harmony in nose; very good harmony in the mouth. Score: 23.5/25

Total Non-Sequential Score: 92 points

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Comment: there is something hard to define or to describe which tastes of "old" in a whisky. I think that it is a combination of heavily-polished-down grain flavours combined with some very mellow and docile old used-oak flavours. This Laphraoig 25 yo 2013 release has those qualities on display, as do most 25 year olds. If you wanted to, you could give extra review points for "tasting old". It is an intangible which is not always reflected in the review score, but which experienced whisky drinkers can perceive and appreciate. In this day of expensive 20+ yo whisky, just the uncommonness of 'old whisky taste' is an uncommon pleasure which can be savoured in and of itself. So, in summation, this Laphroaig 25 yo CS 2013 release is just one of many 92 point whiskies which I have reviewed, but it is one of relatively few 'old whiskies' which I have had the opportunity to appreciate

Find where to buy Laphroaig whisky