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Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength Reviews
- Distillery
- Laphroaig
- Style
- Single Malt
- Release
- Unspecified
- Age
- 10 Years
- Alcohol
- 55.7% abv.
- Region
- Scotland: Islay
- Bottled For
- Distillery
- Buy Now $57.79 WineChateau.com
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Awarded Best Single Malt in the World in 2005 by Whisky Magazine, Original Cask Strength Laphroaig is bottled at natural distillery strength with all the depth of genuine taste and texture normally associated with sampling whisky at source.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Red Hot Talisker Peppers
- Color
- yellow
- Nose
- huge peat, ginger, barley sugar
- Body
- light-medium
- Palate
- huge peat, salted toffee, ginger, pepper
- Finish
- long and wonderful
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Bill01
- Color
- Medium amber
- Nose
- A little peaty smoke.
- Body
- Full
- Palate
- Harsh, too much like charcoal.
- Finish
- A very long finish. Wonderful smokey taste AFTER the initial "charcoal" shock. Very harsh. Mix it 50/50 (or to your taste) with Macallan and it seems to pick up the BEST of both without ANY of the downsides...
Ouch! I like strong whiskey, no water or ice, room temp. This one was a LOT more than I expected. I LOVE Ardbeg Uigeadail but this one has so much char it almost tastes like biting into a charcoal. HOWEVER, I did manage to make a FABULOUS blend by mixing this 50/50 with 12 year-old Macallan... The two of them are FAR greater than the sume of their parts. It turned out so well I am considering that a regular. Maybe even over my Uigeadail (I scored that 97, I would score my blend a 97 also).
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- pale
- Nose
- Smells like petroleum.
- Body
- Full bodied
- Palate
- Iodine
- Finish
- A meths taste that lasts a long time in the mouth.
I'm a whiskey lover but this tasted like meths.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Maximus
- Color
- golden rich
- Nose
- SMOKE, like where's the fire at smoke, very woody, peaty
- Body
- wow this one is full of flavour and has a burn to boot, very nice to chew on
- Palate
- In from the cold hug of warmth, real peat, smoke and almost medicinal palate. Sea salt and sweetness
- Finish
- This is one of my favourites, as if you couldnt tell, Laphroaig 10 year is defo a desert island one, it has huge flavour warmth and character and tastes like no other malt that i have tasted, HRH Prince Charles put his arms on the bottle and it deserves it, you will love it or hate it, im in luuurrrv ;)
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- burnt orange
- Nose
- Iodine, band-aids. Smoke, earth. Stormy weather.
- Body
- Medium to thick. Long sexy legs.
- Palate
- Violent and uncaring earth. Like a storm meets a volcano. Saltwater seaweed and a whole lot of smoke
- Finish
- Long sweet and even a little nutty.
Stevenmr82
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Gold +1 Amber
- Nose
- Medicinal, floral, vanilla, massive alcohol that will burn your nose.
- Body
- Thick, syrupy, oily, and luscious.
- Palate
- Blast of peat, blast of smoke, flowers? Why not. Meaty peat.
- Finish
- The finish has no end. It stays with you, literally. Beware.
Monstrous peat reek. Distant cousin of Supernova and Octomore. Taken neat, you're taken aback with the medicinal, smokey, phenolic glory it holds. This whisky is not for the faint of heart or those who dislike peated malts. This is truly a monster. Graduate from Lap 10 40% or 43% ABV first. If the ABV was even higher, this would be on par with the George T. Stagg.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- honey or dark golden
- Nose
- Peat, Black pepper, band-aids, tar oil, fresh laid tar, fresh laid asphalt.
- Body
- This numbs whatever it touches. Thick!
- Palate
- Wasabi, Tabasco, menthol, Call 911!
- Finish
- North Atlantic storm of salt. Then one is sweetly romanced back to ones home.
Only a fool would not add water to this. How much water? We never did find the sweet spot.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by AdmTom
- Color
- Deep gold
- Nose
- Medicinal, huge pungent wave of peat, saltwater
- Body
- Nothing noteworthy about the body. Just a standard, medium-bodied Scotch -- not too viscous, not too runny.
- Palate
- Taken neat it's almost overpowering. Huge peat with the alcohol burn you'd expect for a cask strength. Add a good dash of water though, and it becomes magnificent... all the flavor of the classic 10yo, but smoother.
- Finish
- Two things define the finish: It's a Laphroaig, and it's almost 60% ABV. The peat lingers for quite a while... don't drink it fast, or the high alcohol content will dull your taste buds and lessen the peat hit you take each sip.
I personally prefer the classic Laphroaig 10yo. To me, the classic has more flavor with less harshness. Add water to the cask strength though and it becomes very comparable, perhaps even a bit better. With a solid dash of water, you get all the flavor of the classic 10yo in a smoother body. Definitely worth the experience, but as I said, I personally prefer the classic 10yo.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- pale gold
- Nose
- heavy smoke, sweet tangy smell. trademark laphroaig but so much more dense and in your face.
- Body
- oily, stays on the palate.
- Palate
- salt, iodine, sweetness, peat. as i said, trademark laphroaig, but on steroids.
- Finish
- lingers for a while. basically if you have a sip of it, then a sip of water, it is essentially like taking two sips of laphroaig, if that makes sense.
I was so happy to have found this bottle. It's a very affordable 10 yo cask strength. The flavor is super intense but you can drink it without water. It's not a harsh alcoholic flavor, it's just the regular laphroaig but so much more concentrated and intense. It's going from a regular IPA to a triple IPA. This and the quarter cask are my favorite whiskys. WOO!
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Trevor Lynch
- Color
- light amber, desert sun.
- Nose
- Huge smoke, sea air, seaweed, vanilla, charred wood.
- Body
- Full and gritty
- Palate
- Slap-your-grandma-in-the-mouth peat. Cinnamon, sea shores, salt water,
- Finish
- Very long and amazing.
Whoa! This is huge. The most intense whisky I've tried
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Sunset over wheat fields
- Nose
- Measured kick of peat, subtle smoke, a small peel of apple and the body shop you took your car to after that one accident you weren't expecting.
- Body
- Fills the tongue well and stays a few after swallow.
- Palate
- Tastes like the memory of your grandmothers soup cooking in an iron pot and your grandpa smoking his pipe in front of the hearth.
- Finish
- Finish is announced with trumpets, not violins.
For those that enjoy good things.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Golden
- Nose
- Heavy smoke, peat
- Palate
- Lots of peat, smoke, oily
- Finish
- Fairly dry
Not for the malt novice. You must like a heavy smoke flavour.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Medium amber.
- Nose
- Awesome! Blast of smoke, peat, bacon, black forest ham, smoked salmon, ocean breeze, leather and surprisingly sweet trail mix nuts.
- Body
- High viscosity for a Scotch dram, full body and them some.
- Palate
- 100% Laphroaig character, just what you would expect from this brand, the real thing, the one and only, the opposite side of Kentucky. A stout vs. a lager.
- Finish
- Finish is 8 out of 10, not bad, just wish it was longer. With the addition of water (recommended)
Outstanding Islay malt! Expensive, be aware that 2 bottles of cask strength equal 3 bottles of 4o% abv regular 12 yo Laphroaig based on alcohol content figures. Flavor wise I find this cask strength better. Top on my list. Overall: Second to none!!!! AMAZING SCOTCH WHISKEY!
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Golden amber.
- Nose
- The smoke and peat charge up your nostrils with unrepentant glee.
- Body
- A deep, substantial, testosterone-laden experience.
- Palate
- Reminiscences of burning embers around the campfire, mixed with the rotting, briny fragrance of the seashore at low tide.
- Finish
- A long-lasting, satisfying warmth that will carry satisfyingly far longer than could be imagined.
Warning! If you do not revere the whiskies of the western islands, don't even THINK of trying this magnificent creation.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber -1
- Nose
- Lap 10 to the 10th power. Strong, powerful, smokey, peaty, blast of smoke.
- Body
- Thick, full, and luscious. Nice legs on this.
- Palate
- Medicinal, peat blast, smoke blast, slightly citrus, very sweet but the smoke over powers your tongue and senses. Wow, not for the beginner, you need some time to get to know the spirit.
- Finish
- Long lasting, finish. Smoke stays in the morning even after brushing my teeth. Now that's amazing.
This review is for the "vatted" red stripe cask strength, pre-batch period.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber + 2, suprisingly darker than Laphroaig 10 & Quarter Cask.
- Nose
- Smoke, peat, heather, burnt wood, ozone.
- Body
- The thickest, oiliest scotch I have ever seen. I thought the Lagavulin DE and the Ardbeg Uigeadail was thick, this thing is creamy!
- Palate
- This is truly the flagship of the Laphroaig expressions. Wonderfully smooth, yet exhibits a tremendous amount of peat, smoke, sea salt flavor, leather, dirty rocks, dirty boots, dirty socks, all in a good way. Not for the faint of heart...
- Finish
- Delightful, lang lasting, finish. Stays with you until your next sip. Outstanding.
This is a review for Batch 002. Peat blast, smoke blast, completely in your face. Phenolic, seaside beach party, Smooth, lovely, long finish. Slight taste of alcohol. The only thing lacking is the complexity and the fruity flavors the Laphroaig 10 regular held. I gave the regular Lap 10 a "95," but I must point this as a 91 due to the expensive price (-2) and lack of complexity (-2) it holds. For extreme peat lovers, my goodness you cannot miss this dram.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Xcal297
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Heavy peat and smoke, iodine, hint of oranges.
- Body
- Oily and very thick.
- Palate
- Warm and spicy, salt, grass, oak, and slightly orangey. Sits quite high on the palate for how thick it is.
- Finish
- Very warm, long and intense. Initial salt and pepper gives way to a long slow fade of citrus.
One of my favorites! In many ways it's less abrasive while also being more characteristic than its regular 10 year counterpart. I tried it with and without cutting it with water, and it's still fantastic either way.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Mishima
- Color
- Pale hay
- Nose
- Sweet, cocoa and vanilla with an intriguing richness underneath, like caramel, all that syrupy goodness mixed with a hefty amount of salt. There is something organic there, like threshed hay. Oh, the peaty smoke you ask? Its there of course, this is Laphroaig, but it is melded this rich sweet, salty, smoky composite.
- Body
- Oily and viscous. Satisfyingly heavy.
- Palate
- Sweetness with a touch of iodine - not offputting mind you. Tangy and peaty.
- Finish
- A burst of fire and then the sea rolls out, the salt disapates, leaving traces of iodine and seaweed, a rich tangy flavor that sticks quick insistently to your tongue.
The more seasoned aficionado might tell you this is the quintessential Islay Whisky. I can only claim that this is great whisky - for the smoky-seaweed set.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Drunk&dangerous
- Color
- amber
- Nose
- Very heavy smoke. hints of fruits and iodine, but overall smoke is dominating all over.
- Body
- thick as tar
- Palate
- smoked horse sweat.
- Finish
- for several hours everything tastes smokey. after carefully washing the glass it still smells smokey. next day kitchen smelled like smoke because glass was washed there :) real experience. I like drinks with attitude and this is definately one.
love/hate thing. if you like smoked stuff you really should check it out. otherwise avoid. rated it 95% because i belong to smoke lovers side:) + one square feet of land in scotland, yahoo!
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Canuck
- Color
- golden amber
- Nose
- Peat, Smokey
- Body
- Smooth. Rich.
- Finish
- Nice after taste, fairly mild and warming.
A wonderful whisky which I found even more enjoyable with a pipe. Great flavours of peat and smoke.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Profitablechoy
- Color
- grassy caramel
- Nose
- smells like an ashtray from 15 feet away
- Body
- full bodied heavy duty
- Palate
- Huge smoke at first, iodine, peat everything you expect in a Islay whisky, but wait... after the initiial rush of this whisky, it becomes soft, and sweet
- Finish
- long savorful finish, sweet and complex.
This is by far my favorite Islay whisky period. So many layers and flavors. The nose of this whisky does not begin the tale of it once you try it. For my taste... add water without water the whisky will not open up like it should revealing the many layers. Superb! But definately not a begginers whisky. This one's got cojones son.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Rowey
- Color
- Rich Amber
- Nose
- Smoke, band-aids, some honey, peat and sea-air.
- Body
- Very full bodied.
- Palate
- Smoky honey, wood and iodine, with a firm, peaty base.
- Finish
- Very long and warm to hot. Spicy pepper, clove and hot cinnamon with salty sea air.
I think the other reviewers here have got this one absolutely right. I agree that water is really not necessary, but a few drops lifts the smoke in the nose a little and really brings out the briny finish. A powerful, but surprisingly well-mannered Laphroaig that every Islay fan must have on the shelf.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by ColoradoDram
- Color
- Amber, slightly darker than Laphroaig 15.
- Nose
- Fruity, smoky.
- Body
- Full-bodied, thick with quite a grip on the tongue.
- Palate
- Buttery, oily, peaty, smoky, hot and tingly, with just enough fruit.
- Finish
- Long, very hot and dry, but amazingly not harsh or acidy.
Amazingly no need to cut with water (even at 55.7 abv!), this is another great Laphroaig, maybe the best value of them all. If you prefer the smoky Islay taste over a more balanced sweet one, choose this.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Eddie
- Color
- Dark Amber.
- Nose
- Emergency room,Smoke, Peat and a little Honey.
- Body
- Full
- Palate
- Smoke, Butter, Honey, Sweet Malt, Peat, Salt, Warm.
- Finish
- Medium, Sweet and a Little Smoky.
I Thought this one was going to Burn being CS, But it didn't. The taste surprised me, Sweet, Smoke, Malt, Peat, all the tastes I LOVE in one bottle. This is a Very Very GOOD WHISKY.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Lugarteniente
- Color
- Full gold. E-150?
- Nose
- Huge Smoke & Peat
- Body
- Full bodied.
- Palate
- Brutal: peat, smoke, salt, iodine, very medicinal.
- Finish
- Hot, Gasoline. Add a drop of water !
A peat monster that works better with water. Cheaper and better than Uigeadail and Lagavulin 12
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Review by Dramiel McHinson
- Color
- Amber gold
- Nose
- Phenols, horehound and honey, wisp of smoke
- Body
- full bodied, rich with intense flavor profile
- Palate
- Intense peat, phenolic. The "Islaydine" ever present; lightly sweet which takes some of the edge off the phenols.
- Finish
- Long, stays bold on the palate; warm and spicey; light sea air.
Surprisingly flavorful and smooth for such a high proof. Doesn't need water but if you must it brings out more of the smoke and maritime nose and flavors.