Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Luke’s take:

This was one of my first favourite whiskies. Mainly because it stood out, and didn’t taste like “whisky” in the general sense. It’s still a whisky I enjoy to come back to see how/if my tastes have changed.

The peatiness coats your mouth, and you have to take a few seconds to taste through it. When you do you will definitely get a TCP/antiseptic overtone, and a sweetness coming through.

It’s 46% alcohol so a few drops of water do help smooth it out, and bring out the sweetness.

I give this 4 out of 5.

Kev’s take:

I was really excited to try this whisky as it seemed like they tried some neat tricks to make it stand out. The use of quarter casks to increase contact between wood and whisky sounded interesting, and the infusion of the ocean breeze seemed like a winner.

And a winner this whisky is. It’s got a chocolate smokiness to it that is delicious although it is not even close to being subtle. If this were a chocolate then it would be a 90% cocoa chocolate i.e. the flavors are bold and hit your taste buds with a sledgehammer, albeit a very tasty sledgehammer. The addition of some water reveals it’s Jekyll and Hyde nature as it goes from being quite an aggressive whisky to being very smooth and somewhat relaxed. I usually know right away if I prefer a dram with or without water but not in this instance – it really does shine either way.

I gave it a 4 out of 5 and I recommend this whisky if you want to try something a bit adventurous.

You can also read about some of the differences between the Quarter Cask and the 10 year old here.