Did Laphroaig 10 Loose Its Smoke?

Laphroaig 10yo (43%ABV) has been a benchmark scotch for me since 2004. The 10yo Cask Strength has been a top-five-favorit-all-time-whisky. With each new bottle of the standard 10yo I open I now save 50mL in a small sample bottle. Some day I'm going to compare them all. Currently I have about 6 samples from past bottles. My memory is that it has been very consistent. Sure, there is going to be batch variation. Sure, it is different from the liquid made in the mid 90's. And very different from the stuff in the 80's.

But lost its smoke? I don't think so. I never thought it was the most smoky. I would have said Lagavulin was the most smoky followed by Ardbeg, and then Laphroaig.

That said, I do think we get desensitized to the big Islay peat monsters. When Laphroaig 10yo CS Greenstripe first appeared on the scene some 15 years ago it was the biggest peatiest, smokiest, monster of the all. Now Supernova, Octomore, and others are pushing that bar up. My gut says I have changed more the Laphroaig has changed in the last 10 years.

Further, I don't find the young peat monsters take time well. Time will mellow out the peat. So maybe some smoke will come to the fore. But be careful. Almost every bottle of Laphroaig that I let sit will eventually turn toward bitter oak.

Just my experience

The cask strength edition is quite good. I think the regular edition used to taste a bit more like that. I wonder if the ABV has gone down, little by little? I seem to recall it being higher than 40%. It was up around 43% ten years ago, if I'm not very much mistaken.

That extra three percent might not sound like much, but it matters. It's the difference between thousands and thousands of dollars in tens of thousands of botttles produced by Laphroaig. My message to Laphroaig is this: Raise the ABV to 45%. You've deprived us of three percent for the past five or so years, so do the right thing and make up for it with two percent higher than the L10 used to be. It's the right thing to do. Your loyal patrons deserve it!

The 18 year is 48% and yes it costs more, but it's worth it! Some of the 15 year offerings used to have 43% and some had 40%. I guaran-damn-tie you that the 43% tasted better! However, be this as it may, many reviewers did not pay attention to the difference. The triple wood has 48%! It's great! That extra ABV DOES improve the flavor and if you want to add water, then add water. The choice is up to you, as it should be. Personally, i like it non chill filtered and without artificial coloring.

The 10 year does not say it's not chill filtered, so it probably is chill filtered (which saps out flavor). It also probably has fake coloring (which does affect the flavor) and the ABV is too low. If you want a good Laphroaig 10, as the distiller for a craft version that costs a bit more because it has 45% ABV is is NOT chill filtered. it would be worth the money!

@rigmorole, the ABV of the 10 yo seems to depend on the market. Here in Japan the ABV is 43%. A quick check on the net tells me that the Laphroaig 10 is 40% ABV elsewhere. Interesting...

@rigmorole I agree with you on the coloring and chill filtering. I like it better when a Whisky is all natural. But still the Laphroaig 10y is one of my favorites.

Sure it would be even better without the coloring, chill filtration and with a higher ABV. But would it just turn it into a Laphroaig 10y CS?

I have to agree with @wtrstrnghlt that if they go messing with the 10yo they are quickly going to step on toes in the immediate Laphroaig family. Bump up the ABV? You are really close to the Quarter Cask at 48%. Bump it up more? You got the 10 Cask Strength now with Batch numbers to track for variation.

For a long time now Laphroaig has sold the 10yo at both 40% and 43% ABV. It depends on the market as @CanadianNinja said. The US is very lucky to get 43%. I think it is a good step above the 40% that many other markets (like the UK, Europe, and Canada) all get. I think it is the perfect entry malt for the Laphroaig line. That said I know many people, both long time malt drinkers and new whiskey drinkers, who prefer the quarter cask to the standard 10yo. I am in the minority here. When I want a good peaty scotch I don't have think about I reach for the standard 10yo. It has been a great long time companion. My only complaint is the price hike of the last 3 years. I use to buy it at $32 a bottle. Now it's around $55 . . . for that I grab the CS version for only a few bucks more.

@wtrstrnghlt : No, at 45% with no chill filtering or coloring, Laphroaig 10 wouldn't turn into the cask strength. I have a bottle of Batch Three CS and it's up at 55.3! That's over 10% higher! I would be happy if the 10 was at 43% with no chill filtering and no color.

That wouldn't cost Laphroaig much at all, considering that some of its 10 years are at 43% already. Not where I live, though. It's down at 40% here last time I checked in a bar. I don't buy the Laph 10, however. I buy the 18, Triple, or CS. The 10 is okay, but not great in my estimation. Yes, craft matters.

Yes, quality matters. Yes, we deserve something better than fake coloring and low ABV's, even at a 10 year. Good to hear from you all. I hope you are happy, well, and well stocked with Laphroaig. It's a great whisky to be sure.

@Benancio Don't scare me like that, Ben. It's subject lines like this that make me spit take while I am on Connosr at work.

I hope it has not lost smoke aroma, but keep this idea in mind: I think it may be you that changed. If there is one thing I know about peat or some other pronounced flavor, your palate acclimates to it. Johnnie Walker Black tasted like turpentine my first time, now it taste like pure Heaven. I have acquired the taste. Your palate may have just become less sensitive to it over time.

Have you ever wondered if Octomore would be accepted 10 years ago like it is today? Our lust for peated whisky only gets worse, I swear. Pretty soon we will see Kickedinthefaceomore with a ppm of 500.

@JJBriggs please to don't tease me . . . I have heard rumors of Kickedinthefaceomore . . . can I get on a waiting list? Sorry . . . its the Pappy effect . . .