The Islays have always been known to be punchy;  impalpable and unorthodox with the merkiest,  unfathomable of flavours. Tell me, who in their right minds would lick their lips and salivate over cigarette ash and cardboard boxes, or perhaps earthy, maritime, leather like flavours.

Funny enough, a handful of headbutts with a few peated drams along with a pinch of open mindedness will begin to instill a sense of appreciation. You begin your first steps with a wee bit of smoke, only to progress to coastal and seaweed influences and then to more earthy and organic hints and finally you dwell into darker and deeper phenolic Islay notes. It’s a package really, the wild coastal waves, the maritime breeze, peaty earth and charred wood, all bottled into a nicely contoured bottle, imparted with every passing tick of the clock, and cemented over years.

Laphroaigs are no stranger to the Islays, with a history that dates all the way back to 1815. The Cask Lore is a bit of a special one, concocted as an ode to the many traditions and practices at the distillery that have been passed down from distiller to distiller, ensuring the level of craftsmanship and quality over the years.  Matured using a spectrum of aged whiskies, with a 21 year old at its heart, is still a No Age Statement as there would be younger whiskies added into the mix.  The Lore is housed in a range of casks from first fill ex-bourbon casks to first fill sherry butts, quarter casks to virgin European oak and refill ex-laphroaig casks, lending the expression that distinct smokey yet spiced flavour profile.

ABV : 48%

Eye : Deep gold | Non Chill Filtered, Caramel Colouring

Nose : Iodine, phenolic, and earthy with a maritime brine. There’s seaweed with a hint of vanilla and Turkish bread; olives with some deep red wine influences. Peaty, smokey, moist cigarette buds, fresh wood and herbal nuances. With time you would get introduced to more floral, subtle notes.

Taste : Sweetness that begins to be enroached by smoked wood, peat, leather, white wine and phenol. Hay like with a lovely fruity sweetness that sits at the back of the palate. Maritime, quite earthy with a sort of heaviness to it, a bit of brine that begins to slide into the shadows.

Finish : Medium to Long | Quite smokey, with a charred organic play. There’s some sweetness in the midst of all the earthy and medicinal tones.

The expression comes as a sweet whisper muddled in the midst of a coastal breeze during the cold night sky. Surrounded by darkness, the only interruption is a silver slice of the moon reflecting off the salty sandy shores. Burnt embers, prance around a thin cloud of smoke; a few crackles and pops add character to an otherwise silent night. The Lore is bold and layered, with good complexity and depth. It keeps to the heavy character of the Laphroaig with a twist in terms of its spicy, organic profile, a good one though.

I feel it to be a bit crispier than the 10 more so towards the finish with a longer play. It holds close to all the lovely maritime, charred and earthy, leathery flavours but still has a unique flair. At AUD $ 150 it’s not cheap, but not too dear either. An older, bolder vat of whiskies that does tell a story, and brings forth some of the flavours we so associate with the Laphy!

Slainte!