Review #412 - Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks Laphroaig 7 Year

An exclusive bottling for the United States, this Laphroaig was aged for 7 years before it was bottled by Elixir Distillers via their 'Single Malts of Scotland' independent brand. Only 3 casks were used in this tiny batch, in fact - 3 ex-bourbon hogsheads, to be precise. Because of that size, this batch likely yielded well under 1,000 bottles.

It isn't cask strength presentation, but we do get a nice elevated strength of 48% ABV - enough to keep the flavors punchy, but not too much, where it might get overwhelming with the heavily peated spirit. This Laphroaig carried a 2014 vintage of distillation, and it was bottled by Elixir in 2021.

Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks Laphroaig 7 Year

Scotland/Islay - Single Malt

Current Locally Available Price: USD 93 (2024)

Age Statement: 7 Years

Strength: 48% ABV

Cask Makeup: 3 ex-bourbon hogsheads

Details: 2014 vintage, bottled in 2021; parcel no.1

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 6 months; bottles at 90%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Salty and peppery, ashy, a little bit sharp and closed up at first. Lots of coastal influence, earthy peat, and seaweed as it opens up; hay, vanilla, and icing sugar add lighter scents. The smoke is a bit acrid - both peat and wood smoke - and later, hints of tar arrive. Quite bold.

Palate: Rich and buttery, savory, with strong peat smoke. Lots of barbecue flavors, charred jalapeno, burnt ends, and wood smoke. In the background, a lighter complexion: dry vanilla, white pepper, salt, and intense candied orange slices all compete for attention. The mouthfeel has a medium thickness.

Finish: A little sweeter into the finish - vanilla, cardamom, candied orange rind, and lime gummy candies. There's still plenty of brash peat smoke at first, but it grows more subtle and musty; a long finish.

Final Note: This bottle seemed to improve over time in our tasting experience - every couple of months, another small notch higher up the scoring chart. Quite young and bright, as you might expect given the distillery and age, but those sharper smoke and spirit notes were nicely balanced by the sweeter fruit and vanilla flavors in the background. Nice savory notes in the palate as well - a good Islay single malt.

Value is fine, just about average. It definitely isn't cheap for a Scotch with a 7 year age statement, but there's good flavor here, and we get a slightly elevated bottling strength for an independent bottler known for their high quality cask selection.

Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 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: 6.18

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.