Review #299 - Laphroaig 16 Year
Laphroaig bottled this 16 year old version of their single malt in 2019, after it had spent its time aging in first fill bourbon barrels. We do get this at a nice bottling strength of 48% ABV, a bit higher than some of the brand's other core range products, though there are a few that sit at this level (the Quarter Cask and 10 Year Sherry Oak, for example).
Laphroaig is often a distillate that, when matured to a higher age, becomes more subtle, retaining some smokiness but also adding softer flavors. Will that be the case with this 16 year old, or does that process not occur until an older age?
Laphroaig 16 Year
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 150 (2024)
Age Statement: 16 Years
Strength: 48% ABV
Cask Makeup: First fill ex-bourbon barrels
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 3 months; bottles at 90% and 30% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: The peat is medium to strong in strength, and it comes with a peppery character and some heavily charred wood notes. Lighter flavors of lemon, lime, vanilla, and yeasty bread linger behind the peat; there are little hits of savory smells, too.
Palate: A medium mouthfeel, with quite a bit of orange fruit and hot peppers up front. Medium smokiness, but far from overwhelming, and it becomes ashy at times; the texture is soft, and bright notes of citrus and vanilla return. Wood char and oily texture increase with time.
Finish: Buttery texture lingers, along with medium (dropping to mild) peat smoke. Peppery oak, sharp tart citrus, and a lime kick are all sharper notes; there are hints of salt, and in the aftertaste, it's like the salted rim of a margarita glass.
Final Note: Nice single malt, and while the age has started to tame this, it isn't an especially subtle experience. Not too complex, just a couple of layers of flavors to dig through, and the peat influence remains relatively strong, though we didn't find it to be overly medicinal.
Like most Islay whiskies that are more highly aged, this is a bottle that comes at a premium price point - $150, at least in our area. Is it worth that? We think that the price is a bit high for the sort of flavors you get, but it isn't the worst deal.
Our Average Rating: 7.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.49
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Laphroaig reviews:
Review #168 - Laphroaig Select
Review #153 - Laphroaig Triple Wood
Review #127 - Laphroaig 30 Year
Review #40 - Laphroaig Cairdeas Port & Wine Casks
Review #39 - Laphroaig 10 Year Sherry Oak Finish
Review #22 - Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength Batch 13
