Laphroaig 25 Year Old

The 2nd Nashville Whisky Festival began promptly at 6PM. I was first through the door, and eagerly sought out my first dram. The first table I encountered was Laphroaig, and that's where I found my "date" for the evening - Laphroaig 25, 2011. This is a bottle that I have been lusting after for some time, and I did indulge.

Nose is unmistakeably Laphroaig. It is briney and medicinal - not as intense as the younger whiskies, but moreso than the 18. Taste has some vanilla sweetness, but little wood. Very bright and vibrant. Zesty. Very full and rich in the mouth. Not drying in the least.

This was a very rich and comforting whisky, one that I kept coming back to through out the night.

Laphroaig 25 is great, but would I buy a bottle? I tasted this side by side with the 18. The 25 surpassed it in every way. BUT, both tasted like Laphroaig. Does that make sense? The 25 was easily the better whisky, but it was just a tuned up version of the 18. If it was 50-100 dollars more, I might feel like grabbing a bottle. But it is not. It is 350.00 more than the 18.

I cannot justify paying that much more money for something I would only rate a few points higher than the other. I am glad I had the experience to sample these whiskies side by side.

I'm generally a fan of anything Laphroaig and the distillery has never let me down in all these years, though, I've heard of a miscreant 15 year old that may taint an otherwise perfect track record. But let's cross that bridge when we get to it.

Right. The 25 year old 2011 Cask Strength. Possibly the most un-Laphroaig nose you will ever find. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. The iodine and peat is subdued; it's there but comes to you in gentle waves riding on a crest of sweet lemon citrus. The citrus is then enveloped in a fine spray of honey and sugarcane. This is possibly the most delicate of Laphroaig noses you will ever come across.

The lemon and honey are dominant on the palate but not before a burst of white pepper greets your tongue. The peat and smoke, as on the nose, play a supporting role as if to nudge you from time to time and let you know this is an Islay.

The finish is long, dry and spicy with a touch of oak and a smattering of nuts.

This is a lovely dram and does all the right things but the question remains; should Laphroaig be producing such delicate whiskies or focus on mouthfuls of iodine, peat and personality?

I'll let you decide.

I think this is perhaps as close to whisky perfection as anything I have ever drunk, over two decades. Of course, the young(er) fiery peaty smoky Islay charmer is there, but, with a supple yet significant veneer of complexity which comes from maturation over a longer period in sherry and also bourbon barrels. There is sweetness, honey, and freshness, and also magnificent burnished peaty, briny notes, as one would hope for. Adding a little water opens up this marriage of styles even more. It is the best expression of this whisky style I have ever tasted. Expensive, yes, much better to drink than the much vaunted (and much more expensive still) 30 year old Laphroaig. Try to find a generous friend with a bottle and a willingness to share a dram with you !

I tasted this magnificent dram at a whisky event in Boston poured by Simon, the brand ambassador of the East Cost. It is the second event that Simon has served me this dram. And it is the second time that it wins the crown of the best dram of the evening.

Nose: Apple and pears at first. Then the peat is still there (more than in the 18 yo) with some sweet notes that give a very very nice mix. very smooth and complex

Mouth: All in apples with some smoky peat. Again very smooth, it is like tasting a liquorish nectar.

Finale: very very long and sweet

Balance: one of the best, nothing goes out, everything in there work as a team. For me, it is like the Montreal Canadians of 1993... they worked as a team and there was a lot of overtime wins !