An interesting take on the Ardbeg profile, with a lot more sweet woodiness and big roasted barrel flavors. The final product is not nuanced or impressive enough for me to recommend paying the above-average price. Although this is quite good whisky, and innovation in Scotch is always to be applauded, it just didn’t move me to buy a bottle.
Wherein I discuss Laphroaig 18, and the situation that arises when I can’t formulate a full review based on a partial tasting.
Hello! It’s Laphroaig. Iodine, seaspray, and a big wave of smoky peaty goodness. Behind it lurks some light florals – elderflower? and green tea. Maybe a little touch of honey and green bananas. Mostly the salty peat, though.
Not bad, but you’d probably be better off blending peated malt into a favorite blended whisky by yourself. That said, a bottle won’t go to waste if you want a peated alternative to your typical blended malt, just don’t expect the moon.
This is a versatile chameleon of a dram – sometimes fruity and light, sometimes peaty and brooding. While it may not be able to decide what it is, there’s no denying the quality of the flavors and the smoothness on the tongue. I recommend a few drops of water, which really make this dram dance.
A satisfying dessert dram. Honeyed and full-bodied, it reminds me a lot of white port, but with more bite. It’s hard to imagine anyone not loving Oban 14. Leave off the water on this one, though.
Full bodied. Creamy. The 100 proof burn is present and intense, but gives way to roasted peanuts, rotisseried meat, salt and light oak. Not at all sweet. Springbank 100 is challenging and intriguing. I get new flavors every time I drink it.
Right away there is big peat, in that briny, smoked-fish style. Smokehouse fumes, sugarcane, vanilla extract, and a pervading young woodiness – freshly-hewn green wood, dripping sap.
Sour fruit, pineapple! Surprising burst of fruity upfront, like Juicy Fruit gum. Resolves into delicious well-rounded smoke without too much tar or woodiness. Those sour fruit elements continue right into the finish, resonating with blood orange, lime, maybe some fresh juicy berries. Mild sweetness, and always an overtone of bright, citrusy peat. At $80-$90 a bottle, this is a little out of my usual price range, but I will definitely be picking up a bottle of this for a special occasion!
Springbank is a composite of rarities. It is one of the very few distilleries which performs the entire distillation process from malting on-site (its own floor maltings) to bottling in its private bottling plant. This is eccentric and nuanced, challenging and satisfying. Great stuff – I can’t wait to come back and discover more!