Laphroaig 32-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review
Photo courtesy of Laphroaig.

Photo courtesy of Laphroaig.

This year, Laphroaig has reached a milestone 200th anniversary.  To celebrate, the distillery has released several limited edition whiskies.  Earlier this year we saw the (brief) return of Laphroaig 15-year-old, said to be a favorite of Prince Charles.  Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 was introduced at this year’s Fèis Ìle.  Both great whiskies.  Then Laphroaig announced a bombshell – a 32-year-old expression.

A very limited release, Laphroaig 32-year was aged exclusively in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.  It’s been bottled at 46.7% abv and is available at a suggested retail price of $1,200.

Thirty-two years is a very long time.  After such an extended maturation process, that infamous Laphroaig peaty punch is gone from the nose.  Instead, lovely stewed fruit (tropical fruit & red apples), brown sugar and baking spices are most prevalent aromas.  The peat smoke here is secondary, lifting the fruit notes above all else.  On entry, there’s a whiff of smoke that leads to honeyed and spiced fruit, and a hint of orange zest.  A brief bitter note shows up.  It lies somewhere between coffee and dark chocolate.  The sherry cask influence is evident in the form of spice and a very light wine note.  The smoke lurks in the background and, like in the nose, is not dominant.  Old and slightly astringent oak shows up for the dry finish.

Amazing.  Simply amazing.  Everything in this whisky is so beautifully balanced.  My gripe is there’s not enough of this whisky to go around.  It’s sad, really.  Anybody collecting this bottle should really pop the cork and pour a dram.  To sit on a shelf and collect dust is the real sin.  After all, whisky is made for drinking.  For those with deep pockets, this is an easy recommendation.

9.5/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by Laphroaig.)

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review
Photo courtesy of Laphroaig.

Photo courtesy of Laphroaig.

Laphroaig’s 200th anniversary year-long celebration saw the release of several expressions this year.  Released during this year’s Fèis Ìle, Laphroaig’s annual Cairdeas (Gaelic for “friendship”) release is highly anticipated by Laphroaig fans.  The 2015 release is bottled at 51.5% abv and available for around $75.  According to the Laphroaig website:

The 2015 bottling is produced from of our finest floor malting’s malt, distilled using only the smaller stills and fully matured in our famous No1 warehouse, right by the sea. Cairdeas 2015 is therefore John’s interpretation of how Laphroaig would have been produced at the distillery 200 years ago.

100% Laphroaig floor maltings?  Distilled only in their smaller stills?  If this doesn’t get you excited, you might as well give up drinking Scotch.

Big “Laphroaig smoke” on the nose, alongside ripe fruit like apples and pineapples and lemon zest.  A touch of honey and oak round things off.  Taste wise, I get smoked caramel and peat right up front.  Underneath is a bed of candied orange, wet bandages, sea salt and charred oak.  The finish is long, with ash smoke and a sweet citrus-fruit note running through.

This is a full-bodied whisky that isn’t as peaty as Laphroaig 10-year, and showcases nice fruit notes throughout.  I love the citrus aspect running thoughout the entire experience, and think this is a better blend than their 15-year.  Tasting this whisky at night, I’m afraid I’m going to have “Laphroaig mouth” in the morning, and that isn’t a bad thing!  Another delightful release from Laphroaig.

8.5/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by Laphroaig.)

Port Dundas 12 & 18 Year Old Single Grain Whisky Reviews

The doors of Port Dundas distillery were closed in 2010.  The distillery provided spirits giant and parent company Diageo  a large amount of grain whisky.  According to maltmadness.com, Port Dundas was one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, just shy of its 200th anniversary when it was shuttered.  Its grain whiskies were used in a lot of blends, including Johnnie Walker.  Diageo is releasing some of the aged stocks of the shuttered distillery in 12 and 18 year expressions.

Port Dundas 12-Year

Photo courtesy of Diageo

Photo courtesy of Diageo

Bottled at 40% abv, this 12-year-old whisky has a light nose with honey, vanilla and a floral note.  I also get a hint of buttered bread.  The palate stays light as well.  Honeyed oats and vanilla bean comprise the majority of the tasting experience.  On the back of the palate, a nuttiness appears, as well as candied flower petals.  As expected, the finish is crisp and clean.  Flavors here are a tad muted, and the whisky is far from complex.  However, lemon peel and a splash of soda water added to this would make for a great summer-time drink.  A bottle of Port Dundas 12-year should cost around $49.99.

7/10 – Port Dundas 12-Year-Old
(Note: A review sample was provided by Diageo.)

 

Port Dundas 18-Year

Photo courtesy of Diageo.

Photo courtesy of Diageo.

Port Dundas 18-year is bottled at a slightly higher 43% abv.  With the added age comes a larger price tag.  This one runs about $99.99 a bottle.  The nose here is louder than the 12-year.  Honey, fresh orange slices, and vanilla bean blend nicely together.  The citrus note is particularly strong here.  Taste-wise, a slightly toasted grain weighs in first, followed closely by vanilla ice cream, light toffee and orange liqueur.  The finish is short and slightly sweet.  There’s just more going on here compared to the 12-year.  Flavors and aromas are a bit more robust while still keeping things light.  After all, this IS as grain whisky.

8/10 – Port Dundas 18-Year-Old
(Note: A review sample was provided by Diageo.)