Independent Bottler Week Featuring Laphroaig Begins…….1 of 4

Laphroaig 8yo 2001/2009 (46%, Signatory, UCF, refill butt, Cask#631, 859 Bottles)

Another offering from Signatory Vintage and from their Un-Chillfiltered Collection, bottled with out chill filtration and without the addition of colouring and a single cask but reduced from cask strength to 46%….

The nose is peated and honeyed that continues to open as more time in the glass passes by, some banana (think of candied banana cooking in butter just before it is folded into the crepes). There are also hints of barley dust, the afore mentioned butter and herbs along with some winey sweetness; this appears to be not the most active of sherry casks however the nose is very good. Perhaps the reduction from cask strength has smoothed out some of the more aggressive moments? Opposite side of a coin in many ways; a departure from the official bottlings. The taste is slightly more mellow than anticipated  (at first) but it grows in power to reveal a honeyed maltiness backed by some really good peat reek which changes after a few moments to become quite dry, peppery and oaky and then a flash of bacon but only for a moment and then toast and some herbs. The finish is warming and malty, peaty and then after a few short moments the herbs and some creaminess. The finish is very long, warming and malty…oh, that was already mentioned, no matter it’s consistent and good. After quite a while the finish is deep coal smoke intermingled with some brine and malt but the coal smoke it quite heavy..

Actually less sweet than the 7 year old of the same series, a tad drier but still has that Laphroaig attack. Would have been a killer at cask strength but is still very good none the less.

£26 from Loch Fyne Whiskies

Score 86 Points