Laphroaig Cask Strength 10 Year Old

Thanks to @MarsViolet for my review sample of Laphroaig Cask Strength, batch # 003, @ 55.3% ABV. The bottle was opened August 5, 2012

Nose: moderate smoke and peat, malty and briney with gusto, a little sweeter than I expected at first. Very pleasant

Palate: the flavours from the nose are translated well onto the palate, with the increase in intensity from the 43% ABV expression of Laphroaig 10 being quite obvious. The quality of the peat flavour is especially deep and profound here, and comes across more strongly on the palate than in the nose. Classic Laphroaig...deep and delicious

Finish: very long and strong finish, with all of the parts hanging around with good and strong flavour

Balance: it is odd that I had been drinking Laphroaig for years before I had had any of the 10 Cask Strength. This is a rich resonant whisky which is prototypical of the Laphroaig 'house style', of which I am a big fan. Whisky drinkers who "get" heavily peated Islays and who like the typical Laphroaig whiskies, enjoy a sort of balance between the peat/smoke/brine/medicinal flavours and the malty base flavours. With time and experience I came to love these whiskies. Some who are new to them will like them right away, and others will stand aside for a good long time, or forever

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