Laphroaig Aged 30 Years The Ian Hunter Story - Book 1

Style: Fruity, Smoky and Dignified

Rating: ☆☆ [Highly Recommended]

Nose:

Liquorice lightly smoked over coal fire. Citrus confectionaries, lemon myrtle with a satisfying level of oiliness in it. Tropical fruits jelly taking a hint of fragrant, floral laundry notes(!). Crushed sea shells, subsiding peat, Limoncello rising up from the ashes. Malt cake thinly coated with citrus candle wax. Peppermint hue, grapefruits and bubblegum tail to finish. Mellow, but surprisingly busy and lively.

Palate:

A mini-burst of lemon citrus and maritime peat at the front. Orange, more limoncello rolling in while a light violet mist wrapping around the malt. Vanilla milk, coconut cream, roasted almonds, burning logs and milk chocolate slipping under. Aloe vera, pineapple and other tropical fruits doing a Pina Colada at the back. Minimum dose of brine, minerals and liquorice to finish.

Finish:

Nice blend of tropical fruits, citrus, malt and smoke. All sweet and tantilising.

Thoughts:

Some older Laphroaigs can be slighty soapy, luckily the damage is minimal on this one. Somehow the “violet notes” (ahem) adds on an extra level of complexity to the expression. For those who cannot tolerate any level of soapiness, here’s your red flag. That aside, we have a generous amount of fruits, peat smoke and malt calmly and beautifully chiseled and amalgamated over time. A different, more matured, but unmistakably glorious Laphroaig. Good stuff.

[46.7% | Original Bottling | 1987 Distilled? | 2019 Bottled | Non Chill Filtered | Limited Edition | 4800 Bottles | First Fill American White Oak Bourbon Barrels **]

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