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Originally released for the travel retail market, Laphroaig PX cask is aged initially in American oak and then in quarter casks before a final finishing period in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. A rich, sweeter and full-bodied expression of this Islay favourite.
Ladle of Contents
Laphroaig PX Cask Litre Review:
Nose:
Sweetie is the word, rather than smoke. There is lots of sweet liquorice, cherry pie and liquorice allsorts. This nose is absolutely fantastic. Intoxicating even.
Finish:
A slow-building cinnamon and allspice finish. Not so much smoke or peat here – more fruit and sweet spice. The finish is longer than that of the standard Laphroaig 10 year old.
Another rounded, rich and complex Laphroaig. A great example of Laphroaig’s top quality whisky. A must-try for any whisky fan.
Laphroaig PX Cask Litre Review 1:
This is an incredibly rare and hard-to-find whisky. It’s in the peaty, smoky style of Laphroaig 10 year old, yet it has a richer, fruitier taste.
Nose:
Big and smoky, like the 10 year old, but with a certain depth. It’s not immediately obvious what the extra years in the oak have done to this whisky, but if you breathe in deeply, the extra years do the job. Lovely, sweet liquorice again, but with added fruit aromas of raisin, blackberry and pear. The smell is rounded, rather than sharp. This is a good sign; if you can smell it, you can taste it.
Taste:
Fresh and very drinkable. Again, the characteristic Laphroaig taste of peat and smoke, but it is diluted, as it were, by the extra years in the oak. All the flavours are everything you could want from a whisky and more: raisin, pine and an intense sharpness.
Finish:
Finishing like a Laphroaig should – with a gentle and warm spew of
smoke followed by a long, slow-burning aftertaste. The aftertaste has to be drunk to be believed. It’s sweet, slightly bitter and slightly smoky. A tickertape of flavours.
Final Recommendation
If you can find it, try this. It’s complex, balanced, interesting and extremely good.
The 10-year-old expression of Laphroaig is a regular in many a whisky enthusiast’s cabinet, but I always felt there was something missing…until now. The Quarter Cask is an intriguing whisky, exhibiting a milder smoke character with a soft, delicate underbelly of vanilla and honey.
Nose:
You don’t have to be a whisky expert to tell that this is Laphroaig. There’s the smell of a bonfire, an intense smoky flavour. The peat hits you in the face as soon as you smell this one. What’s most impressive is that this is no harsh, overpowering whisky. The smoke is gentle and smooth, there is a sweetness about the nose which gives it balance.
Flavour:
The flavour washes over the tongue in a warming wave of sweet toffee, smoke and dark chocolate. The finish is a long, lingering and slightly bitter note of peat.
Finish:
The peat takes centre stage in the finish, which is warm and slightly sweet around the sides.
Laphroaig PX Cask Litre Review 2:
Stronger and rounder than the regular 10 year old, this expression comes in a 50cl bottle. It’s a must-have for all lovers of Laphroaig 10 year old.
Nose:
Another Laphroaig with the Laphroaig trademark smell: peat and the smell of the sweetly flavoured smoke. Milky, honey, sweet and creamy, there’s fresh vanilla mixed in with a dirtier undertone of a bonfire. It’s more a man’s whisky – a touch more mature than regular 10 year.
Flavour:
Fruity, sweeter, softer and with less tobacco and smoke than the 10-year-old. It’s got more body and more rounded flavour. The extra alcohol fills the mouth. It’s warming and delicious.
Finish:
The finish is as sexy as the rest of the whisky. Loud and smoky, rich and rounded. It’s satisfying in every way.
Laphroaig PX Cask Litre Review 3:
This whisky has a similar flavour and body to the 10-year-old, but the addition of a cask finishing process makes for a nice, slightly smoky aftertaste.
Nose:
The whisky is a mix of fresh, fruity and smoky. The smoky notes combine with fresh fruits to make the whisky taste a bit like marmite on first sniff. It’s often referred to as the ‘love it or hate it’ whisky, and this is one of the qualities that make it so special.
Flavour:
Smokier than the 10-year-old, but otherwise quite similar. It’s sweet and fruity and full of peat, more peat than the 10-year-old. The flavours are well rounded, complex and interesting. The 50% ABV makes the flavour more intense too. The taste is rich and stirring. It gets a bit smokey in the back of the throat, but is generally smooth and easy-going.
Finish:
The finish makes this whisky. Not too long but sweet and smokey, just how you’d expect.
Final Recommendation
This is a great one for all lovers of Laphroaig 10 year old. Bottled at 50% alcohol (the legal drinkable limit Laphroaig claim), the additional alcohol makes for an intense whisky with a real kick.
Laphroaig Quarter Cask Triple Matured
A lighter variation on the original Laphroaig Quarter Cask, the Triple Matured has a far superior finish.
Nose:
This is where Laphroaig Triple Matured shows off. It’s lighter than the original Quarter Cask, with less of the rich, deep and serious flavour. It has a more complex and fruity mix of notes, with some grass, liquorice and pear.
Taste:
It’s smooth and creamy. Beautifully balanced, neither too strong, too soft
