Skip to content
  • Home
  • Whisky Top 10
  • Tasting Notes
  • About Thijs
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Whisky Top 10
  • Tasting Notes
  • About Thijs
  • Contact
logo
laphroaig 10yo cask strength batch #004

Blind Tasting #11: Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength Batch #004

17 December 2017 0 comments Article Islay, Laphroaig, Reviews, Scotland

So I’m a bit bummed out that I didn’t get a higher score for sample #11. I mean, 61 points out of a possible 100 isn’t bad, but I’d hoped I would’ve recognized a Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength during the Blind Tasting Competition. Alas, I didn’t.

I quite like the annual cask strength releases by Laphroaig, also the recent batches. I have batch #008 open right now, but when nosing and tasting sample #11, it never occurred to compare the two. Instead I finally settled on a Caol Ila. I know there have been some excellent releases from Gordon & Macphail recently, all around 10 years old, at a high abv, and matured in sherry butts.

Because I figured I was tasting a young-ish Islay whisky, matured in sherry casks and bottled at a proper strength, that’s were my mind went. After browsing Whiskybase for a while, I eventually settled on this bottling. I had never tasted one, mind you. I just figured it was the most suitable candidate. I wrong, because it turned out the be this one.

Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength Batch #004 (58,3%, OB)

Nose: Smoky and farmy, but also fairly coastal, and with a sweeter side. Some oranges, and strawberries too, as well as a hint of brown sugar.
Taste: Nice sweet arrival (sugared breakfast cereals), but after the first swallow quite ashy, with a good amount of peat, tar and a hint of rubber. Some cloves as well.
Finish: Lingering peat and tar, a tad dry.

Rating: 87

Extremely drinkable at such a high alcohol percentage. As with all the cask strength batches from Laphroaig, this is excellent whisky. It just never disappoints.

I’m currently leading the competition, but for how long? Four guys in the top 10 scored 98 points yesterday, properly identifying it as a Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength (only the wrong batch).

Photo: whisky-onlineauctions.com

Thijs Klaverstijn Kingairloch 3
Thijs Klaverstijn

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.

Tags: 10yo, batch #004, cask strength, islay, laphroaig

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Tumblr

Most popular posts

  • april fools whisky exchange speyside 30yo 2021 April Fool’s Whisky 2021 (The Whisky Exchange)
  • kilkerran 8yo cask strength 2020 sherry Kilkerran 8 Years Cask Strength (2021)
  • longrow red 10yo refill malbec 2020 Longrow Red 10 Years Refill Malbec (2020)
  • springbank 10yo 2010 local barley 2020 Springbank 10 Years Local Barley Oloroso Sherry (2020)
  • Glendronach cask (flickr ti yab) GlenDronach Is A Lot Older Than The Label Says

Recent blog posts

  • Upcoming: Blind Tasting Competition
  • Sexism & Misogyny in our Whisky Community
  • Monologue: Waterford’s Mark Reynier on Biodynamics & Terroir
  • Why The Whiskybase Gathering Should Be On Your Bucket List
  • Visiting Ballindalloch Distillery: Tradition & Patience in Speyside

Copyright Words of Whisky 2021