Ardbeg Vs Laphroaig - Newcastle, Friday 5th September

[The Whisky Lounge]

Hi All,

Rob has just reminded me on the Ludlow Festival post that I should have posted this a while back!
The 'Battle of the Drams' tasting takes place at Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle Upon Tyne where there is already a really good following for all things whisky! It consists of a tasting of three official bottlings of each and all whiskies will be judged on their own merit. I did this tasting earlier in the year in York and it was a cracker!

Whiskies on tasting (TBC)

Ardbeg Renaissance
Laphroaig 10 Y.O Cask
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Laphroaig Cairdeas Feis Iles 2008
Ardbeg LOTI
Laphroaig 25 Y.O

The cost is £20 and tickets are available through my website - http://www.thewhiskylounge.com - or you can call me on 01904 466227
I look forward to seeing some of you there!

Cheers,
Eddie

[The Whisky Lounge]

A fantastic night was had by all I think I can say, great to see Gordon and Rob from these very forums.

Scores on the doors were...

Laphroaig 25 Y.O 40% 7 1/2 out of 10
Quite closed, subtle and lacking real verve. A bit of a disappointment but we all agreed we'd love to try it at 46%+ and unchillfiltered

Ardbeg Lord of the Isles 46% unchillfiltered 8 1/4 out of 10
What a contrast! All the spices, mintiness, chocolate and peat embers we have come to expect from older 'Begs.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 55% unchillfiltered 8 1/4 out of 10
Brilliant stuff. Laphroaig as it should be with overdriven medicinal and earthy tones but balanced by the presence of the 17 Y.O stock. A real revelation to all here.

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% unchillfiltered 8 1/4 out of 10
Not quite up there with the Oogies of old, but it still hits the mark with many folk, hence the high group score. Good but longer great.

Laphroiag 10 Y.O Cask Strength 55.7% unchillfiltered 8 1/4 out of 10
I was beginning to get deja vu with these scores! This, for me, was the whisky of the night and epitomised what great whisky should taste like. Sweet, but balanced with herbaceous fresh peat and an elegant long finish.

Ardbeg Renaissance 55.9% unchillfiltered 8 1/2 out of 10
A definite hit with everyone, Ardbeg have pulled off another winner. I felt, personally, it lacked the balance of the 10 Y.O 'Phroaig on the night but clearly I was out-voted by the masses!

As you can see from the scores, this was a hugely well-received raft of whiskies. Any whisky scoring more than 8 in this group scenario is generally outstanding so to have 5 out of 6 over the mark was nothing short of amazing.
Thanks again to all for attending, I look forward to the next tasting in the Toon which is on Friday October 3rd at Blackfriars - Scotland Vs Ireland...
Hope to see you there, anybody interested please go to the website - http://www.thewhiskylounge.com

Cheers,
Eddie

[Spirit of Islay]

Hi Eddie ,
Once again you hosted a great tasting , really good night with all involved , superb set of whiskies !
Looking forward to the next one , very good idea to have a Monthly tasting , much appreciated from this end !

Got a review of the tasting on my site....