06/07/2026 Laphroaig

Laphroaig 10yo (90 U.S. Proof, OB imported by Julius Wile, b. ca. 1980s): nose: pear compote, white peach and ashes sprinkled all over them. Warm and burnt woods join the ashtray of a 1988 BMW 325i, and more fruits come out of it too -- stewed quinces, pears, apples, white peaches, apricots, maybe papayas. The moment one starts thinking that is it and it is now a fruity nose full stop, ashes come back at it and overwhelm the orchard. Phwoar! Ink joins a collection of fleeting scents, amongst which Manzanilla and nut liqueur. The second nose seems more bombastic yet, with a fruit cake whose crust has burnt somewhat, then lemon juice, followed by smashed raspberries and wild strawberries. Coffee steam comes out of a tin Moka pot, after a while. Did I say 'phwoar'? Mouth: nut liqueur is more assertive on the tongue, a little bitter, full, sweet and comforting. It is stored in a mahogany drinks cabinet in a smoking room. That is right: retro-nasal olfaction reveals a colossal-if-elegant pile of ashes. Chewing stirs those ashes into the afore-mentioned liqueur, which leads to no end of bitterness. A dash of apricot juice rectifies that with a welcome sweetness. Those ashes, though!... The second sip brings out the almond liqueur, although not as sickly sweet as the famous brand, and laces it with orange juice. It is less ashy, here, but smokier, and it adds Chinotto or smoked root beer, and smoked-apricot juice, even smoked gingerbread. Finish: ashes and smashed apricots in a cup of cold coffee. Most unexpected. It is a very-long finish and a balanced one, at that, one that juggles sweet and bitter notes with brio. It has some wood (dry logs), nutshells (walnut, mostly), dried apricots, moist peat bricks and a generous serving of ashes, the remains of the father, kept in an urn on the mantlepiece. The second gulp is, once again, less ashy, yet that does not quell the bitterness, which is now earthier. Root beer, Chinotto, hazelnut liqueur and a cool woody touch. It dies with a taste of half-baked chewy cookie dough laid to rest on a grille over barbecue ashes. What an adventure, this is! 9/10(Thanks for the sample, pat gva)