This is basically the quarter cask with an additional rest time in refill sherry casks. I know many reviews panned this for being less brash and in your face than other Laphroaig's. Now that it's discontinued, might it get more love?
Nose: Cough lozenges, black licorice, antiseptic, that note of germinating grain, vanilla, loads of sweet oak, salty, the nose feels a bit closed.
Palate: Oily, astringent grain, smoked fish, and carbolic give way to sweetness, currants, dried fruit & spices. The palate is soft, all in vanilla, menthol and earth.
Finish: Rich, oily, grassy, licorice & strawberry candy with sweet smoke.
The Blab: The medicinal elements seem to sit tight amidst the successive oak treatments, the ashy smoke is what is replaced by the sweeter elements. Not the one for those looking for that Laphroaig slap in the face but if you like the the distillers editions of Lagavulin and Talisker this is a winner.
Thanks for reading the review, I always find an aniseed/fennel type note to Laphroaig, along with Dettol... You familiar with that stuff? My mom would wash the house with it and treat our cuts and scrapes with the same stuff too, bonkers!
That said, it was fairly mild, I've always liked the Triple Wood, perhaps a bit more than QC which is a touch heavy on the vanilla.
Thanks for your review. I must have had a very different batch than the one whence came this bottle. I hate black licorice, so I can say I did not get that note at all. Your last sentence is pretty spot on, though. Definitely more sweet alongside the peat.