Laphroaig 18yo (2013)
The Laphroaig 18yo replaced its popular younger brother, the 15yo, back in 2009. It turned out to be a hit, although people never seemed to stop mourning the loss of the legendary 15yo, which had been around for decades. But a lot has changed in six years.
The 18yo is now the one being discontinued, with production stopping at the end of 2016. And the 15yo has made a triumphant return as a limited release to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the distillery, which I reviewed here. The loss of the 18yo will no doubt be felt, because it is one hell of a whisky.
Laphroaig 18yo (48%, OB, +/- 2013)
Nose: Salty seaweed with subtle peat and sal ammoniac. A fruity sweetness perfectly balances out the coastal elements. Ripe banana and baked apples, sprinkled with a little bit of ash.
Taste: Creamy, salty peat and some iodine as well. Very soft, showing its age. And some nice sweet flavours too. Vanilla, lemon drops and more banana. Also heather.
Finish: Long, zesty and smoky.
Rating: 89
A strong showing by Laphroaig. I like this one much better than the new (and old) 15yo. This one is going to be missed indeed.
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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