Laphroaig 18

This posting is way overdue. Last summer, when G-Man was coming back to upstate NY, he stopped at the New Hampshire store and brought yours truly a couple malts. One was the new offering from Laphroaig, the most distinctive of all Scotch distilleries, their 18 year old. I had always been a fan of their fifteen, which had all the peat and brine for which Laphroaig is known, but was smoother around the edges, a touch sweeter, and in my opinion, one of the very best after dinner malts one could find. So I was disappointed to learn that Laphroaig was killing their 15, and planning to introduce an 18, as a replacement.

Speaking of introductions, we broke out the new 18 age statement at the Whisky Lovers Ball, which has become the social event of the summer around here. Everyone at the Ball loves good whiskies, so we make sure to offer a slection of finer malts. The after-dinner lineup is pictured above. Nothing for the faint of heart, and not much for rookies either. All these whiskies were chosen for the select group of whisky lovers who attend each summer’s ball.

Here’s the good news: the eighteen did not disappoint. It’s unquestionably Laphroaig -- what Jackson called the most medicinal of all malts. It has Laphroaig’s big flavor, that unique combination of smoke and sea -- peat and iodine. And curiously, even though it’s three years older than the 15, it is not as soft, nor as sweet. If anything, it’s more like the ten, but with more flavor, a little less fire, and a longer finish. Also, it’s more buttery on the palate than the younger Laphroaigs.

But here’s the bad news. Even though G-Man found this 18 at an affordable price, somewhere in the low 70s, I have only seen it on the shelves in Rochester at stratospheric prices -- upwards of $130. This appears to be a new marketing strategy for many distilleries. Their 10s and 12s remain reasonably priced, but the prices of older malts, especially 18s, are up through the roof. I always liked to keep a number of 18s in the cupboard, so we could break them out when other whisky lovers were over -- the Whisky Lovers Ball being the perfect occasion for these 18s. But $140? I don’t think so. My guess is that nouveau riche philistines all over the globe are buying up these eighteen-year-old malts in order to impress their colleagues and girlfriends. And who knows, probably pouring them over ice. So as much as I liked this Laphroaig, when it’s gone, I’m picking up the reliable ten, full of fire, and saving close to a bean. Until then though, I’ve still got half a bottle to enjoy. Plus, maybe the New Hampshire store will put it on sale once again.