Review #476/477; Scotch #159/160: Laphroaig 10yr Cask Strength Batch 10/11

Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength Batch 10

Central Ohio Bourbon Glass

This is a head to head of Laphroaig’s Cask Strength offering. This is a 10 year old whisky, bottled at cask strength and barrier filtered to remove char particles i.e.; non-chill filtered. This is aged in ex-bourbon barrels, so let us see how these two batches stack up against each other.

ABV: 58%

Nose: Campfire Smoke, Rotting Fall Vegetation, Peat, Lemon Zest, Black Pepper, anti-sceptic

Palate: Thick oily mouthfeel. Rotting Fall Vegetal Peat, heavy lemon zest, black pepper, iodine, campfire smoke,

Finish: Medium length. Heavy Vegetal Peat, campfire smoke, lemon zest, black pepper, oak spice, light vanilla.

Rating: 7/10

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Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength Batch 11

Blank Glass

ABV: 58.6%

Nose: Black Pepper, Hay, Clean industrial smoke, toned down vegetal peat, light vanilla,

Palate: Medium mouthfeel, maltiness, hay, vegetal peat, slight pepper, allspice,

Finish: Medium length, clean smoke, vegetal peat, slight iodine, slight malt and slight breadiness.

Rating: 6 /10

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Of the 2 batches, batch 10 wins out for me. It is a bit more complex, more well balanced, and just has more flavor. The flavor is there in batch 11 and I would be quite happy to have a full bottle of it. But when put up against Batch 10, it falls a bit. Batch 10 just punches with way more flavor and is something that I could sit with and explore far longer.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect