Laphroaig CS: The Stripes Question

by **bond** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:55 am

This is being discussed under the "What did you..." thread and therefore probably getting lost.

Anyone who knows the difference between the Laphroaig CS Green and Red stripes?

by **Tom** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:11 pm

Hello Bond,

Theoritically: none (this is what Robin Shields stated twice) At Laphroaig they claim there are no differences between the old Straight from the wood and the new Cask Strength bottlings.

Practically: lots! For starters the Alcohol percentage is slightly lower, Mr Shields told me this is because the angels became too greedy. There are also two different bottlings of the new red stripe, one has a slightly higher alcohol percentage then the other. Unfortunatley i forgot the exact percentages,I believe it is 57,3 and 55,7 but I am not sure. sorry about that.
Secondly, The red stripe is much darker then the previous Green stripe,
third, They taste different. The red stripe has a slight sherry note and is generally less phenolic then the old green stripe. The new bottlings are way more accessible for the bigg audience where the old Green stripe was a peat monster with phenol spraying aromas you couldnt lose over a night. In my opinion (and lets be clear about this, it couldnt matter less since the green stripe is gone) the old bottling was superiour in every aspect, More then that it was a unique expression of Islay, one I couldnt compare with any Islays we have today. Whereas the Red stripe is much more mild and "just" another peaty malt on Cask Strength.
Yes, it won the whisky of the year 2005, i know and couldnt care less either. I believe Lawrence has both, unfortunatly i dont but perhaps Lawrence can do a HTH and state his findings.
If you can find a Green stripe anywhere, my advice: Get it!

by **Admiral** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:21 pm

Unfortunatley i forgot the exact percentages,I believe it is 57,3 and 55,7 but I am not sure.

I just checked my "red stripe" bottling and it is 57.3%. Thou hast a good memory for numbers, Mr Tom!

I've heard quite a number of people say that the Laphroaig Cask Strengths are "what Laphroaig used to taste like" (i.e. back in the good old days). Mind you, I've also heard that said about the 15yo, which tastes quite unlike the cask strengths, so who knows?

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:02 am

I remember the Green Stripe being a powerful dram. It was the first dram I'd ever felt it necessary to water.

I suspect that the change in the color of the stripe is merely circumstantial, ther having been more than one bottling with the red. Perhaps Laphroaig should put the batch number on the label, like a'bunadh.

by **MGillespie** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:08 am

Admiral wrote:
Unfortunatley i forgot the exact percentages,I believe it is 57,3 and 55,7 but I am not sure.

I just checked my "red stripe" bottling and it is 57.3%. Thou hast a good memory for numbers, Mr Tom!

I've heard quite a number of people say that the Laphroaig Cask Strengths are "what Laphroaig used to taste like" (i.e. back in the good old days). Mind you, I've also heard that said about the 15yo, which tastes quite unlike the cask strengths, so who knows?

Cheers,
Admiral

Isn't that supposed to also be the case for the Quarter Cask bottlings?

Mark

by **Admiral** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 4:30 am

Yes, I have heard that also said of the Quarter Casks, but I'm inclined to disagree.

Certainly, the QC offers a healthier kick of peat which many would argue is a throw back to the past. However, this perception of higher peat is due chiefly to it being a younger whisky, and there's certainly no doubt in my mind that the youthfulness can be tasted.

The Laphroaigs of yesteryear may have been peatier, but I'm sure they didn't taste young!

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Mr Fjeld** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 8:34 am

Edit: oops! It wasn't my intention to hijack this thread. I'll delete this and post the above question in a new thread! Sorry!

Skål!
Christian

by **MGillespie** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 3:13 pm

Admiral wrote:Yes, I have heard that also said of the Quarter Casks, but I'm inclined to disagree.

Certainly, the QC offers a healthier kick of peat which many would argue is a throw back to the past. However, this perception of higher peat is due chiefly to it being a younger whisky, and there's certainly no doubt in my mind that the youthfulness can be tasted.

The Laphroaigs of yesteryear may have been peatier, but I'm sure they didn't taste young!

Cheers,
Admiral

Good point...I have a bottle of Quarter Cask on the shelf, but haven't opened it yet...been waiting for the weather to cool down a bit...

Mark

by **bjorn** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 9:56 am

i remember somebody talking of a tasting between the green stripe and the 2 reds. did this occur? what were the results? sorry, i know it wasn't on this thread but i'm not going to search through the various and sundry laphroaig discussions to find it. thanks

-bjorn