Since last year wasn’t a wine finished release, I think it was very clear to Laphroaig they needed to pick up on that slack and hit the bodegas. This years release is matured in ex-bourbon, racked between warehouses 8 and 10 and then finished in Fino sherry casks. There is no word on age or duration. Let’s see how this years release is.
Nose: Iodine, bandages, moss, grass and cream. Caramel, rich fruitiness.
Taste: Medium to thick mouth feel. Mild heat. Sugar, iodine, dead sea things. Bandages, meaty, vegetal peat. Cream and vanilla. Pepper, sweet toffee, light fruits like lemon and raspberry. Really vibrant, overall.
Finish: Long, rich, filled with sweet cream. Pepper, lemons, berries. Smoke and fruits play marvelously here.
Overall: This is really enjoyable, loaded with a complex blend of smoke, peat and sweet fruity dessert.