Laphroaig 10-year-old Islay Malt (Bottled Late 1980s) /43%/0.75l

Laphroaig Distillery has been producing whisky almost continuously for over 200 years (founded in 1815). The single malt is the undisputed leader in Islay sales, with over 4 million bottles sold per year (2019).

The distillery produces its own malt, although its own maltings only cover 15% of its needs, with the remaining 85% supplied by Port Ellen Maltings. Laphroaig 10 Year Old has been part of the distillery’s core range for decades and is considered by many to be an ‘Islay classic’. Laphroaig’s retired master distiller, Iain Henderson, used to say of his whisky, ‘love it or hate it, but don’t give it a chance’. The bottle on display here is believed to have been from the late 1980s and was part of a batch destined for Italian importer Spirit SpA from Genoa.

Nose: peat smoke, vanilla, toffee, caramel, cantaloupe, mango, bananas, apples, salted peanuts, a pinch of white pepper, traces of iodine and tarred ropes.

Palate : smoky and sweet, vanilla, honey, toffee, milk chocolate, orange peel, honeydew melon, cinnamon-dusted apple pie, coconut flakes, eucalyptus drops and a trace of iodine.

Finish : long, with notes of peat smoke, vanilla, caramel, tropical fruits, a mix of nuts and sea breeze.