Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength Edition 2023 Single Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 58.3%

Down the side of the box, in small slanting handwriting, it says "The powerful one". The rest of the bottle backs that up in fewer words: 58.3%, no water added, no chill filtration. Batch 017 was bottled in November 2023, and what lands in your glass is what came out of the casks, apart from a filter that catches flecks of charred wood. The smoke is blue, the seaweed is in your nose, and a thick sweetness runs underneath it all.

Expert's Description

Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength Batch 017 is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured for ten years in charred oak casks and bottled at cask strength, 58.3%.

This is the distillery's original Cask Strength, and every batch stands on its own. Laphroaig doesn't blend one batch to match the last. The casks decide, and once they're emptied they're gone. Batch 017 went into bottle in November 2023. It's made from peated malt and nutty barley, with the peat smoke Laphroaig itself calls blue.

The only thing done to the liquid is barrier filtration straight from the cask, which takes out char particles from the burnt oak. It is non-chill filtered, and the strength has not been reduced. The charred casks add vanilla, nuts and toasted oak to the peat, while ten years on Islay bring the salt and the sea.

The distillery itself drinks it with a splash of water. The whisky goes slightly hazy, and the aroma and sweetness open up without flattening your palate.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet, lively and smoky with a flick of citrus. Candied apple slices, crème brûlée and sugary pastry, with iodine and peat fire behind them.

Palate

Sweet fruit first: stewed apple, vanilla cream and pears in syrup. Then salt, peat and crisp seaweed. Clove and cardamom arrive last, leaving a trace of liquorice behind.

Finish

Very long. Black pepper, old leather and a sweet, grassy smoke that slowly turns to tarry peat.

Specifications

Name: Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength Batch 017
Distillery: Laphroaig
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 58.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Charred oak casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Bottled: November 2023
Edition: Batch 017
EAN no.: 5010019000828

Flavour Profile

Peaty · Smoky · Spicy · Maritime · Sweet

Did You Know?

Laphroaig is pronounced roughly "la-froyg", and the distillery prints that on the box itself, so nobody has to guess at the bar. It's more useful than it sounds, because the spelling trips up almost everyone.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength Batch 017

How is Cask Strength different from the standard Laphroaig 10 year?

Strength and character. Cask Strength goes into the bottle at 58.3% with nothing taken out, while the standard 10 year is bottled at 40%. You get more power, more spice and a longer finish, and each batch tastes a little different because it's made from whichever casks were ready.

How smoky is Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength Batch 017?

Clearly smoky, but not only smoke. Peat and seaweed take up a lot of room, yet the sweetness of stewed apple, vanilla cream and pears in syrup keeps things in balance. If you've tried Laphroaig 10 year and want more of everything, this is the next bottle.

Should you add water to Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength?

Yes, a little. Laphroaig recommends water itself, as it opens up the aroma and sweetness without overpowering the palate. The whisky may turn slightly hazy, which is perfectly normal. Taste it neat first so you know what the water changes.

Which glass suits Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength?

A tulip-shaped glass such as the Glencairn, which gathers the aroma and leaves room for a few drops of water. See our range of whisky glasses.

What food goes with Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength?

Dark chocolate, a strong blue cheese or grilled oysters. The salty, peaty profile handles richness and sweetness well, and the high strength cuts straight through.

Is Laphroaig 10 year Cask Strength a good gift for an Islay fan?

Yes, for someone who already knows the style. It comes in a smart box, and it's the distillery's strongest regular 10 year bottling. If the recipient is new to peated whisky, a softer pick from our Islay Whisky range may be a better way in.