Laphroaig Quarter Cask

As part of holiday tradition, its time to break open a new single malt! This time around its Laphroaig QC.

Tasted neat at 48% after 5mins of settling down.

Nose - Immediately we get a big blast of fresh peat dominated with loads of wood (which is to be expected from the QC). This tastes so fresh. A bit of antiseptic popping out at times, but nothing like Talisker 10yo. The wood is really coming out here in the nose. Eventually we start getting herbal notes reminiscent of oregano, basil and even black pepper. Letting it open up and settle some more yields subtle sweetness and olive oil. This is a very herbal nose but if you're patient without rushing it you'll end up getting hints of bittersweet dark chocolate with a tease of vanilla. A really complex nose on this, lots going on and lots to enjoy for such a young whisky.

Palate - Rich, peaty, slightly oily with dry sweet/massive spice and pepper with a smokey kick. I cannot stress the spice on this, its huge on the arrival. Laga 16 fails in comparison to this. The peat here is heavy but very rewarding as it drags on and on with the smoke entering after the initial taste starts fading off. This is rich with a smooth spicy character.

Finish - Quite long. The smoke stays around for awhile. The herbal notes that were present in the nose are found throughout. With a dash of water we get a touch more smoke in the nose that was once dominated by peat mostly.

Conclusion: Great, impressive stuff. Miles above Lagavulin 16. Don't waste your money on the Laga, get the QC instead. This is a very well rounded, smooth yet spicy peaty gem. If you love the peat, then you and the Quarter Cask must meet!

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