Laphroaig 18 Year Old Scotch – Review

Laphroaig 18 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

96 Proof

Price Point: $55 – $65 for 750 ML

Distiller: Laphroaig Distillery

Background

Age statements are interesting things.  Many times, they lead us to purchase “older” bottles to achieve status, even if it’s with ourselves.  Even the media makes it seem as if older is better.  My wife and I saw Judd Apatow’s “This is 40” last weekend, and there’s a scene where Leslie Mann’s character’s father (John Lithgow) brings a bottle to their house as a gift.  To the discernible eye, you can tell that it’s Lagavulin 16 Year Old.  But, Lithgow presents it as “a very old Scotch”, despite the fact that 16 years is not “very old” in the grand scheme of Scotch variety.

That being said, is an 18 Year Old Laphroaig better than its younger brothers?  I suppose we’ll find out…

Review

Right from the start, you can tell that Laphroaig 18 Year Old is much different than its younger brother.  It is much tamer than the 10 Year Old in that the peat and smoke are toned down.  There are some spicy notes present right away from the nose.

The taste is a little more intense, but still very reserved due to the aging.  In the mouth, it’s almost creamy, with a lot of vanilla to contrast the classic Islay notes.  The 18 Year Old is a little more woody than the younger expression.

The finish is very nice.  Not quite as smooth as a typical whisky of this age and proof, but nice nonetheless.

Rating & Recommendations

Overall, Laphroaig 18 Year Old is a good whisky, but I don’t necessarily enjoy it as much as the 10 Year Old.  I give this whisky a rating of 84 out of 100.

Fans of Islay should try this one for sure.  But, if you’re looking for peat and smoke, go ahead and save a couple bucks and invest in a bottle of Laphroaig 10 Year Old.

-Ryan