Laphroaig and age

by **BruceCrichton** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 2:52 pm

Does Laphroaig improve with age at all?

I'm a big fan of the 10 yr old standard version and if my local pub has cheap doubles going, I have been known to down many of them.

I'm not a fan of the 10 yr old cask strength which I thought tasted like bad cough medicine.I also wasn't particularly enamoured with the 1988 Signatory version finsihed in sherry.

Does Laphroaig improve with age?

I'm thinking specifically of the 15 yr old but if anyone has tasted other versions, please let me know.

by **Lawrence** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 4:12 pm

There's a thread going on in "questions & answers" about Lahproaig. The 15 is much more mellow than the 10, almost some sherry in the finish but not too much.

by **Gate** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 9:10 pm

I have (but won't for much longer

) some 22-year-old Laphroiag bottled by Berry Bros (from their Heathrow shop). very nice indeed - best way I can describe is as being to the OB 15-year-old as the 15 is to the regular 10 - smoother, more rounded, but still with the heavy phenols, but they come on later in the taste. Really very nice indeed, so on that one bottle, yes, it does (or at least can) improve with age.

by **Admiral** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 3:02 am

Having read numerous posts over the years on this subject, it appears to me that the general consensus amongst MOST Laphroaig fans is that the 10yo is the pick.

The 15yo obviously offers an alternative expression, but most people state a preference for its younger sibling.

by **BruceCrichton** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 8:47 am

I can believe that. Most of Laphroaig's appeal is it's strength of flavour. 'Roundedness' is not necessarily what it needs

by **Gate** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 3:59 pm

Depends what you mean by "roundedness", I suppose. I don't regard it as necessarily meaning less strength of flavour. Less of a kick up front, maybe. It has to depend on mood, for me. I have to confess I haven't had the regular 10yo for quite a while, but I do like the cask strength 10 - bad medicine and all (in fact, when I'm in the mood, that overpowering medicinal edge is exactly what I'm after). Now wondering, having studied the other thread, whether to try a 50/50 mix of the CS 10 and the BB 22yo.

by **hpulley** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 4:16 pm

When I'm making tasting notes, a balanced malt is one with equally strong nose, body and finish. It can be equally light or equally strong but not a malt with a big nose to announce a weak body and finish or a thin nose which lets a powerful body and finish sneak up on you. In general, I like balanced malts.

The standard 10yo is what I'd call balanced, just not strong. I wish it was stronger but remained balanced like it used to be, bad medicine from start to end.

Ardbeg TEN is not balanced, but is strong, especially the nose. Talisker 10yo isn't really balanced either, though I love the mule-kick finish. I still like both of them but I prefer versions of them which were as strong but also balanced (OMC '75 25yo Ardbeg for example). Just my current preference in malts.

Harry

by **BruceCrichton** » Mon Aug 18, 2003 5:23 pm

I find Laphroaig 10 yr exceptionally smooth and I had 4 doubles in my local at my last works night out.

I suppose that what I am saying is that Laphroaig isn't especially subtle or complex.
It's appeal is all or nothing in my view.

I assume this is the reason that only first fill bourbon casks are used.

Maybe I'll just wait and see if I can get some at the upcoming speyside festival. Anyone going?

by **Admiral** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:05 am

Bruce, if you'd be kind enough to buy me a return ticket from Australia, I'd be delighted to join you at the festival!

by **shane** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 12:13 pm

Guys, I would highly recommend the laphroaig 30, one of my all time favorite whiskies. I must warn you that it is very addictive, hence draining on the hip pocket. Get it in the USA as it's quite a bit cheaper there.

by **Jim** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:25 am

I just purchased the laphroaig 30 about a month ago. Trying to save it for a special occasion, although something special better happen soon!! I paid $199 US dollars for it, although I think the store may have made a mistake.

I hope you are right in how good it is. I am looking forward to it.

by **Malcolm Macaulay** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:40 am

10 yo Rough
15 yo Getting better
30 yo Over the hill
40 yo Stale and tasteless

I reckon a 22.5 yo would be great.

by **Czarny** » Tue Aug 26, 2003 9:54 pm

Well I have bought recently a bottle of laphroaig 30 yo after I had a try at a festival. This whisky is really great, and is very different from the 10 and the 15 yo versions. Indeed the peat and the smoke are very quite, replaced by an unexpected exotic fruitiness. Delicious ...
The 30 yo 1997 version is coming to an end, indeed only 123 olorosso casks were used for the elaboration of this whisky. A new version is available but I have been told that it is not as good as the previous version.
I also have a 40 yo laphroaig bottle (also known as laphroaig 1960 vintage), but I haven’t tasted it yet. My whisky seller told me that in a bind test testing, people often confuse the 30yo and the 40yo version, not because they are the same, but because the 30yo version taste “older” …

by **Jeroen Kloppenburg** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:06 am

Hmm, I start to pick up a pattern here in older Islay malts

If you have a 30 year old Bowmore, the taste is very tropical fruits too (Lychees).

Someone else noticed this in other older Islay malts too? Or did you noticed this in non-heavily-peated malts too?

by **skywalker** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 6:57 am

???
40 yo stale and tasteless? I had a sample of the 40 yo, I found a real explosion of aromas in the mouth! But I have the impression that it´s important to finish that whisky short after opening the bottle.

by **Czarny** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 4:13 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Verdana">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by skywalker:
<B>???
40 yo stale and tasteless? I had a sample of the 40 yo, I found a real explosion of aromas in the mouth!
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I didn’t say that the 40yo was tasteless (I have never sampled it yet, and I’m wondering if I will ever open the bottle). I said that it might taste younger than the 30yo version. And your comments goes in this way as you are talking about explosion of aroma which is more a “young” malt characteristic. The 30yo is a long wise malt, that heat you from the inside slowly but with strength … But this doesn’t mean that the 40yo laphroaig is uninteresting and tasteless or even less interesting that the 30yo version.

by **Lawrence** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 4:58 pm

Malcolm Macaulay said the was "40 yo Stale and tasteless". It's hard to believe that an elder Laphroaig would be such. I tasted the 30 four years ago (or so) and I remember it was very nice and not "over the hill". But everybody tastes what they taste. However I think it's wrong to expect Laphroaig to INCREASE in strength with age as the maturation process will make it more mellow. Just compare the 10 and the 15.

by **Spirit of Islay** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 8:30 pm

I had a try of the 1960 Laphroaig in the Lochside , given to me very generously by the then owner Alistair and i found it extremely "woody" , my wife thought it smelled of "musty old men" .Laphroaig has gone down in my estimation in the past few years . The 10yo has lost its attack , the Caskstrength was very disappointing and the 15 so-so. The best Laphroaig i've had in recent years have been the SMWS bottlings , very good with the old smell and taste .
slainté
Gordon