When the flagship product tastes this good, you know you’re dealing with a quality brand. The distillery got it’s start in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston and was run by the family till 1954 (139 years) when the last member of the family died without an heir. This lead to it brand changing hands several times over the years and is Currently owned by Suntory, who now owns Beam. Beam has owned Laphroaig since 2005 when it was called Fortune Brands. Though through all of this one thing has remained the same and that is quality.
In addition to being almost 200 years old (I’m expecting big things from them next year) It’s also the only whisky to carry the Royal Warrant of the Prince of Wales. A Royal Warrant means that they supply a good or service to a royal court or a certain royal personage and has no significance beyond lending prestige and quality, via-association, to the brand. They received this honor after the prince visited his favorite distillery in 1994 and they’ve included it on their packaging ever since. Basically the royal stamp of approval because they make tasty whisky.
Laphroaig 10 Review
ABV: 43%
Age: 10 years
Price: $43
Distiller: D. Johnston & Co.
EYE
Light golden straw
NOSE
Warm peat comes out first followed by some nice salty briny notes and accompanied with some caramel, iodine, smoke and char. These big heavy oily notes get cut with hints of citrus, light fruit, malt, honey and a slightly vegetal underpinning. A wonderfully complex nose with layer after layer of enticing aromas.
TASTE
That campfire smokiness comes tearing across the palate like a bat out of hell with vanilla, butterscotch, malt, Novocain and graham in the sidecar. A mild peat and citrus bring up the rear along with some notes of cocoa, fruit and honey. It’s a fantastically deep and rich flavor that’s a bit like eating a s’more, campfire and all.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Very well balanced with a medium body and a light smooth texture that makes it incredibly easy to sip.
FINISH
Smoke, malt, graham, an ambiguous sugary sweetness and a medicinal note play out with a hint of wood on a long and pleasant finish.
OVERALL
I love this whisky. I’m a big fan of Islay whisky in general and Laphroaig is no exception. They aren’t as heavy, oily and brooding as a Lagavulin nor are they as light and crisp as Ardbeg; they inhabit that pleasant middle ground where everything comes together in wonderful harmony. Definitely among my favorite sipping whiskies with a great depth to both the aroma and flavor.
SCORE: 87/100
I’ve recently just begun my journey through the whiskey world, and your reviews have been of great help in that process – and certainly one of the most enjoyabeles aspects of it, beside actually drinking whisky. Keep it up.
Cheers from Brazil!
Thank you Arthur, I truly appreciate that. You made my day. Cheers!
G’day Josh,
This brings back wonderful memories…. I got married in 1987… And had a very very bad experience with whisky on my bucks do. It took between 15 to 20 years before I jumped into spirits again…. I don’t know what made me buy the Laph 10 .. but that first nose … I said “Oh my g….!” I was hooked and became a ‘smokey’ snob after that. I now love the different types and regions etc… and rarely do I ‘go back’ but decided to try the Laph 10 again……. Loved the nose. thought it was a bit thin on the palate…. and a bit sweeter than I remember…. we only get the 40% version down here in Aus…. Finish was long and lovely….. Would I buy another bottle ? absolutely! but it would need to be on special.. I’m tempted to save up and try to get the ‘cask strength….if available…. could be hard to get..
Good review mate.
AL
Thank you and thanks for sharing all of that Allan, I enjoyed reading it. Cheers!
My first heavily peated scotch. WOW! If someone would’ve told me 10 years ago that I’d be enjoying/savoring a drink that I freely describe as tasting of Soot, Band-aids, and Iodine I would’ve called them crazy. The $50 price tag is at the top of my price rang, but man was it worth it.
Nice, welcome to the Peat Heat club :D Cheers!
would you recommend this or a bottle of Talisker Storm?
50% of the time this, 50% of the time Storm… sorry.
Have a bottle of Laphroaig single malt 10 yr old found in the basement number on bottom is SD522 can you tell me when it was made? How if it worth anything? Thank you.
I have no idea when it would be from with SD522. If you send clear pictures of the front and back label to the email address in the contact area I’d be happy to take a look.
Researching this code for a Springbank 21. SD 522 seems to be 1989 bottlings from what I could find.
Oh, good to know. Thanks Andy!
I bought this bottle on sale and the first thing i noticed when I opened it was the strong smell for iodine or something similar. The palate was medicinal. It was too strong for me. of course I fnished it but I dont think I will buy it again for now. Im still a beginner and lately i have been drinking bourbon but I find that it is too sweet for me specifically Evan Williams/Buffallo trace. What do you recommend I try? I would like to try something smokey but on the lighter side. (I dont know if it helps but I like merlot)
Try a good rye like Rendezvous Rye or George Dickel rye, you might like those more than bourbon. For a lighter peating try Talisker or any of the peated AncNocs, they are 1/2 or less peaty than the Laphroaig and that might work. Hope that helps. Cheers!
the cask strength is not chill filtered neither is the quarter cask.
if only it wasnt chill filtered
This bottle has been on my “to drink” list and I never got around to trying it until tonight. I was at the store and noticed it was priced at $26/750 bottle so I had to jump on it. Now I think Ill be going back for a few more bottles at this price.
Damn. Yeah at that price I’d be buying a case!
Thanks! I’ll see if I can find them. If I can’t, I’ll do some research of my own and let you know what I find out.
Hey, when are you going to review Elijah Craig 12 Year? I’ve been waiting for that review with bated breath. :)
It’s in the queue. I was planning on doing it in Dec, but then an opportunity came up to do a bunch of special releases so I hopped on that in stead. But it will happen in Jan.
Utterly agree, as usual. I read about this stuff as a teenager and it was the first scotch I tried. It blew me away and I wasn’t able to handle it, but I kept coming back for me and boy, did it grow on me through my mid-to-late twenties.
Question: do you have any recommendations for decent (possibly blended) scotches in a mid-range price for use in cocktails? Or is that a heretical inquiry?
That should be “coming back for more,” whoops.
Hey Will,
Not heretical at all, I love cocktails and good whiskey makes good cocktails. If you’re looking for a peated blend I’d look for the Isle of Skye. It’s cheap, it’s tasty and I use it in cocktails myself. It’s a great cocktail whisky. If you’re looking for an unpeated blend try Bank Note, it’s another scotch I rely on when making cocktails.
Cheers!
Kirkland 12 year old blended Scotch is better than JW Black ($37/1.75 liters). Kirkland 27 year old blended Scotch is better than JW Blue ($56/.75 liters). IMHO
Completely agree with your review but just one small adjustment needs to be made, It’s ‘Prince of Wales’ not Whales! Although there may indeed be a Prince of the Whales somewhere in the deep…