Review - Laphroaig 16 years old

This whisky from the famous Islay distillery of Laphroaig has been created and bottled exclusively for online retailer Amazon in Europe and the UK. It has been maturing in first-fill ex-bourbon casks since the early 2000s and these were hand selected for the exclusive release by John Campbell, the Distillery Manager at Laphroaig. The whisky has been bottled at 16 years of age and 48% ABV. It is non chill-filtered, of natural colour and was released in August last year. No indication of the number of exclusive bottles has been released. Laphroaig 16 years old will cost £89 per bottle.

Laphroaig (pronounced la-froyg) is one of the most highly renowned Scotch whisky distilleries in the world and it is the biggest selling single malt in the smoky/peaty style. The brand was at the forefront of establishing the style in the market place.

The name translates from the Gaelic as 'beautiful hollow by the broad bay' and the distillery is located on the southern coast of Islay, about two miles east of the village of Port Ellen. The distillery was founded by two brothers, Alexander and Donald Johnson, in 1815 and is currently under the ownership of Beam Suntory. Laphroaig has an annual production capacity of 3.3 million litres and is celebrating its 205th anniversary this year.

To purchase Laphroaig 16 years old, please visit the dedicated product page on Amazon - click here.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a pale golden yellow and the nose is immediately packed with savoury aromas - think of dried seaweed, damp moss and coal tar soap specifically. Underneath is a hefty whiff of bittersweet malted barley and sweetness in the form of honey, golden syrup and Scottish tablet. Hints of gingerbread and green chilli add further depth.

On the palate this whisky has plenty of initial power. This is driven by the decently high ABV strength and the heaviness of Laphroaig's spirit. The savoury qualities are obvious, but the sweet notes are also more prominent than on the nose. Plenty of heather honey, golden syrup and crumbly fudge mingle with the bittersweet malt, which adds incredible bite and structure to the whisky, and some stewed apples.

The powerful peat smoke mellows with time to reveal a series of nuances within the flavour profile - bonfire ash, tar, drying seaweed, damp soil, moss, medicinal bandages and warm sand/pebbles on a beach. Warming gingerbread, cinnamon, chilli and a pinch of white pepper give even more complexity.

The finish is long, warming and peaty. There is no hiding from it. The smoke lingers and licks around the taste buds for ages. As the sweeter characteristics begin to fade then the malty notes and warm spices really come to the fore in a deliciously pleasing way.

What's the verdict?
This Laphroaig 16 is great. Delicious, hot, juicy, punchy and vibrant are just a few of the descriptors that we immediately thought of. The older characteristics of the spirit and the quality of those ex-bourbon casks shine through to give a great example of an Islay whisky. This is the style, and Laphroaig in particular, at its best and 16 years of age seems a real sweet spot for both.

We have seen a few people commenting that this seems overpriced compared to other whiskies of the same style and age, Lagavulin 16 years old for example. Our argument is that this is an exclusive product for one retailer rather than one with a worldwide release and also at a higher strength (48% ABV vs. 43% ABV). You get plenty of whisky for your money. And delicious whisky at that.