Laphroaig Triple Wood - 48%
Photo taken somewhere in Stuttgart
When it comes to the core range of a distillery, we actually prefer Laphoraig's next door neighbours. Both the Ardbeg Ten and Lagavulin 16 are far ahead the Laphroaig ten (not talking about the fabulous cask strength version!). Anyway, the Quarter Cask was really to our liking, consequently the triple cask is the logical continuation. So does it live up to expectations?
Nose
Welcome to South Islay: This dusty, leathery and medicinal Laphroaig touch! All supplemented with crushed hazelnuts, some mint leaves and bitter 90% cocoa Lindt chocolate (why exactly Lindt you're asking? Because those are always available at our cabinet). The sherry influence is definitely noticable, and adds depth to the destillate. After the peat backtracked, pickled pears appear (wordplay). Finally it is rounded off by fresh apple crumble pie. Pretty complex stuff.
Palate
Despite the heavy nose, the palate draws another picture: Soft and warming texture, and very aromatic. So much chocolate and hazelnuts in there. We have had whiskies with 43% ABV which felt way stronger than this. The heavy sweetness ensures a strong salivation in the mouth. It's clearly sweeter than the "Quarter Cask".
Finish
Long and ashy, with rubber and tar. Say hello the cresol molecules! So Laphroaig...
Rating
From all the core range NAS expressions, this is one of the better ones in our opinion (and one of the better NAS in general). More complex than the Quarter cask and more balanced than the PX Cask. Those facts plus a reasonable price equals Whisky Digest satisfaction.
