In our second installment of Phil Your Glass, Phil is reviewing the Laphroaig 1967 Gordon & Macphail bottling. This is from the Connoisseur’s Choice series and is bottled at 40% ABV. Find his full review and commentary below
With peated whisky drawing more and more people into its smoky corridors, trying older examples is something which should become a standard, in my opinion.
So much fuss is put around the Kildalton distilleries (Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg) and rightly so! They’re equally famous and infamous within their fields, but doing some head to heads of old and new stock would be amazing. Distilleries, we’re looking at you. Get it done. You’re the only folks who can generally afford to.
Colour: Honey
Nose: So calm. Lemon oil, red apple, apple skins, freshly cut grass, fruit salad sweets, strawberry.
* I found notes from a sample of 1969 Laphroaig 14 YO and the noses are almost identical. Loads of exotic fruit and strawberry!
Palate: More oak spice than smoke. The smoke is very distant, almost wispy. Mint, vanilla, the spice is very prominent now. Texturally it is oily and thick, more classic Laphroaig feel here. A dryness of minerals and coastal breeze are funneling in the longer it’s held on the palate. A lighter Laphroaig overall.
Finish: Hints of Laphroaig’s medicinal fame are creeping in, but again, it’s more or a dryness than a smokiness. Reminds me of those fog machines at school discos. The finale of it all is rubbing alcohol and very fond memories.
Assessment: A secondary example of how light Laphroaig can be. I’m unsure if this was the style of the 60’s distillate, or if being in bottle for so long has impacted it? Generally unsure. However, it is a welcome yet somewhat unexpected Laphroaig taste. In a world of distilleries releasing younger and more intense styles, this is a delicate, fruity and different side to a coastal monster.
85/100
In our second installment of Phil Your Glass, Phil is reviewing the Laphroaig 1967 Gordon & Macphail bottling. This is from the Connoisseur’s Choice series and is bottled at 40% ABV. Find his full review and commentary below
With peated whisky drawing more and more people into its smoky corridors, trying older examples is something which should become a standard, in my opinion.
So much fuss is put around the Kildalton distilleries (Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg) and rightly so! They’re equally famous and infamous within their fields, but doing some head to heads of old and new stock would be amazing. Distilleries, we’re looking at you. Get it done. You’re the only folks who can generally afford to.
Colour: Honey
Nose: So calm. Lemon oil, red apple, apple skins, freshly cut grass, fruit salad sweets, strawberry.
* I found notes from a sample of 1969 Laphroaig 14 YO and the noses are almost identical. Loads of exotic fruit and strawberry!
Palate: More oak spice than smoke. The smoke is very distant, almost wispy. Mint, vanilla, the spice is very prominent now. Texturally it is oily and thick, more classic Laphroaig feel here. A dryness of minerals and coastal breeze are funneling in the longer it’s held on the palate. A lighter Laphroaig overall.
Finish: Hints of Laphroaig’s medicinal fame are creeping in, but again, it’s more or a dryness than a smokiness. Reminds me of those fog machines at school discos. The finale of it all is rubbing alcohol and very fond memories.
Assessment: A secondary example of how light Laphroaig can be. I’m unsure if this was the style of the 60’s distillate, or if being in bottle for so long has impacted it? Generally unsure. However, it is a welcome yet somewhat unexpected Laphroaig taste. In a world of distilleries releasing younger and more intense styles, this is a delicate, fruity and different side to a coastal monster.
85/100
