Whisky : Laphroaig 21 Year; Douglas Laing’s Xtra Old Particular (LMDW Private Selection)

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 53.4%

Cask : Refill Hogshead

Age : 21 Year (July 1996—September 2017)

Tasting : Neat in a Glencairn @ LMDW Singapore

Nose :  The funk, oh someone brought the funk.  Sweaty old cheese rind, funky soft cheese, and broiled bone marrow all waft out of the glass.  Grilled beef fat and roasted duck provide a rich mineral meatiness.

Palate : An herbal explosion of fried curry leaves, fresh cilantro (Chinese parsley), basil.  The smoke and sweet of grilled onions gives depth to the herbs.  There are metallic notes, though not unpleasant, and a notable astringency to an otherwise very easy drinking and balanced dram.

Finish : Long with faint herbal smoke and cracking leather.

Score : 8

Mental Image : Reheated leftover curried fried onion and paneer.

Something Similar : Amrut Double Cask 2018 (similar roasted vegetable and herbal qualities)

Something Worse : Laphroaig Lore (similar earthy notes, more maritime, less finish)

Notes : This was unique to say the least.

The oldest Laphroaig I have had the pleasure to drink, the first one old enough to order itself at an American bar.  I was after a dram of the now extinct Port Ellen, but found myself unprepared to pay the price (I still mostly need my arms and legs, nor did I have a first born to offer up).  I asked the bartender if he had any other older Islays that he might recommend more in my price range and this was what he pulled off the shelf.

This Laphroaig offered remarkable savory herbal notes which were enhanced by the aged and muted phenolic smoke in the background.  The nose and the palate did not quite match, but each was enjoyable on its own.  While the metallic notes were not exactly unpleasant, they were a bit of a distraction from the rest of the flavor profile.

I could easily be persuaded to try this again and I am almost sure that my notes would change a little bit, there was a lot going on in this dram.  Of course the likelihood of that happening is pretty low, so I will set my sights on trying other mature peated expressions, especially Laphroaigs.  While I love a young spirited peat bomb, the earthy herbal undertones of this single cask gave me an additional appreciation for well aged peat.