Laphroaig 15

One way to judge whiskies is by the aftertaste. I’m of the opinion that great whisky continues to taste great, long after the whisky is off the palate. There are many whiskies that taste fine at first, but once swallowed, lose their flavor immediately. Often, as soon as the whisky is swallowed, the taste is gone; in the worst cases, the aftertaste turns sour. But a great whisky will leave a long and satisfying aftertaste; the flavor seems to stay on the tongue long after the whisky is gone. I think of the older Macallans, or Highland Parks, for example. The flavor seems to linger on for minutes after each taste.

Early on, when I began sampling malts, I tried Laphroaig, but was left with the impression that it was too briny. While I love the peat flavor of the Islay whiskies, I don’t care for the brine of Bowmore, for instance. That was the time when you couldn’t find Lagavulin anywhere; it was never on the shelf of any stores, and we’d make a point of eating at any restaurant there they had a bottle behind the bar. In search of that big peat flavor, I sample all the other Islay malts, and during that period, bought a bottle of Laphroaig, but somehow came away with the impression that it wasn’t for me.

Then a couple months ago, we had dinner with our Russian friends, and their neighbors, who turned out to be from Scotland. Scotland, whisky, you can guess how the conversation went. After dinner, the neighbor ran home, and come back with a few bottles of malts to share. One was Laphroaig 10, and to my surprise, I really liked it. The ten has a bite, and the flavor is distinctive, and perhaps there is a touch of brine underneath the peat. But my initial impression was all wrong. This really is a great whisky.

More recently, I found that one of our local purveyors has the 15, which I had never before seen anywhere around Rochester. Laphroaig 15 is an entirely different experience from the 10, or the cask strength. It’s remarkably smooth, so smooth in fact that when it first hits your palate, there is almost none of the strong peat flavor. And there is absolutely no bite. It’s as smooth as silk, as soft as a baby’s bottom. The taste really doesn’t appear until you swallow, and then you get that overwhelming peat flavor, but sweet, almost like maple syrup, only peat flavored maple syrup. Is this making any sense at all?

Jackson gives the 15 an 89, only one point below the 30, which was recently reviewed in the WS Journal as the very best, and certainly the most affordable, of the 30 year old malts. However, Jim Murray doesn’t like it at all. Hugely disappointing, he says. But I think they’re both wrong. I think this might be a perfect after dinner whisky. Especially one of our dinners – meats on the grill, spicy rubs, lots of big strong flavors. And then, a sweet and smooth Islay whisky to cap things off. Maybe with a cigar. In fact, as soon as the weather turns a bit warmer, I’m going to try just that -- Laphroaig 15 with a cigar, after dinner.

One final disclaimer. Don’t forget that this is still an Islay whisky, and definitely not recommended for novices. But its softness, coupled with the full-flavored malty Islay aftertaste, makes this whisky almost unique. An understated but powerful Islay taste, one that’s remarkably easy on the palate.