Moss Island Drams: Laphroaig 15

A few months ago, a friend told me about an excursion to a whiskey bar with three friends. She was horrified when they ordered $50 top-shelf flights (including Yamazaki 18 and Lagavulin 16), then proceeded to dump everything into their Cokes and complain about how overrated good Scotch is. The bartender wasn’t surprised. True story.

I became aware of Laphroaig several years ago, when I accompanied a colleague to a murky beer bar. He spied a dusty green bottle on a high shelf, remembered liking it, and asked the bartender for a shot. She had to stand on a chair to retrieve the bottle. The intense odor that wafted from his glass scared and intrigued me. It was another year before I tried Laphroaig 10 year-old on my own.

Laphroaig is a strongly peated Islay malt, and it shares a distinct briny seaweed reek with its island distillery neighbors – Lagavulin, Ardbeg, and Bunnahabhain are among my favorites. Laphroaig 10 might be the edgiest of the bunch, razor sharp and pungent; many describe its almost overwhelming pungency as medicinal. (Laphroaig is running a social media campaign, asking people to record their first impressions – the more outlandish, the happier the marketers seem to be.)

I recently came off a stressful few weeks at work. A major project had wrapped successfully, and I wanted to sit in my comfortable chair next to the fireplace with something special. I picked up Laphroaig 15, which I’d never tried. (My favorite Laphroaig expression is the 18 year-old, which is mellower than the 10, round with woody notes.)

Laphroaig 15 doesn’t disappoint. Medium gold in the glass, the nose is amazing, intensely satisfying on its own. (One of many reasons good Scotch should never be mixed with soda, or even ice.) Seaweed and ocean air predominate, with a gentle sweetness underneath. Not too heavy on the palate, it slides down and around the tongue, expanding with a quick burst of heat. The sweetness is chased with an immediate woody aftertaste, like puffs of smoke. The taste lingers, finishing very long.

Laphroaig 15 is a single malt to savor, particularly in the early spring, when sunny afternoons are followed by brisk overnights. Its intense, multifaceted sensory experience reminds me of why I love Scotch.

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1

Paul on March 27, 2017 at 9:54 am

Since Zach turned 21 last fall, he felled ‘called’ to buy me a bottle of hootch for Christmas. Jackie told me that, at the liquor store, he had an apparent epiphany: He was thrilled when he found a gallon of Scotch priced at ~$5. She explained that, in such establishments, the goal-of-sorts was to spend more money on lesser amounts. And while I can tell the difference between bottom-shelf and middle-shelf, I cannot distinguish between middle-shelf and top-shelf. So I’m easy to shop for.
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  Chris Bord on March 27, 2017 at 10:05 am
  
  I keep a spreadsheet on my home computer that attempts to calculate a “value rating” for Scotches. I subjectively assign my numerical grade, 1-100, and then factor in the price. I did this at Susan’s request, so she has a buying guide for birthdays and Christmas, etc.
  
  I never liked Scotch as a young man, maybe because my father drank Johnnie Walker Red – I still don’t like that brand. When I started trying different bottles, I realized I have medium-expensive taste – while I can’t always tell the difference between a $75 bottle and $100+, I have several favorites in the $50-$80 range.
  
  I’d say a can’t-miss gift for a Scotch lover is Balvenie DoubleWood 12, which runs in the $50-$60 range. The highest “value rating” on my spreadsheet is Glenfiddich 12, which can often be found for $25-30.
  
  Did you like the $5 gallon? It doesn’t seem possible to import a bottle priced that low!
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Paul on March 27, 2017 at 10:16 am

My price there was a bit of an exaggeration. But Jackie steered Zach into a different choice. About 5 years ago, I teetotaled for 1 year. Had some health issues that (I think) were false positives. But it seemed like the prudent thing to do. When one enjoys the occasional drink, ‘gifting’ becomes an easy task. During that year, Jackie groused that she had to put some thought into things again.

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