Whisky : Laphroaig Lore

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 48%

Cask : Quarter Cask, Sherry Butts

Nose : Herbal, smokey, and oily.  Maritime and herbal notes of bonfires, sea spray, diesel boat engines, and watch oil.  Intriguing meaty impressions of salty-oily salmon, duck, and smoked tea emerged with more time.

Palate : Medium bodied with a soft profile of tobacco, char, and chocolate.  Herbaceous tobacco led the way into medicinal herbs, and a roasty matly chocolate.  Dessert came into focus with smoked vanilla pudding, dark cacao nibs, and more chocolate malt.  On the back end were notes of barley stuffed tea smoked duck.

Finish :  Lingering herbs, oil, and subtle salt.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Chocolate Bundt Cake at a Salmon’s Dinner Party

Notes : I know the Lore gets a lot of derision because it lacks an age statement (or rather, it appeared as age-statements were removed from much of the Laphroaig lineup), but I still think this is one of the strongest bottles in the lineup.  I would actually take this over the 25 Year almost any day of the year— and not just because its 1/3 the price.  I loved the bold roasty notes came through on the palate and gradually transitioned into a rich meatiness.  This was a great combination of rich flavors and, even though it was not cask strength, there was enough depth to keep this dram interesting.

Overall, a wonderful member of the Laphroaig core lineup, albeit one without a lot of transparency as to what sort of components are used in its construction.  I do wish this were a little bit thicker as the mouthfeel sometimes felt a bit thin.  If the finish lasted just a bit longer, or the intensity were a bit greater, I could easily see this scoring a few notches higher.

Image Credit : Laphroaig.com