Some old Laphroaig and secret Islay


June 23, 2025

Some old Laphroaig and secret Islay, as promised
They’re part of the two batches of marvels available from independent bottlers since two or four years: Laphroaigs around 30 years old, or Springbanks of a similar age, the latter being much pricier than the former. Right then, enough waffle, let’s start with a little aperitif to suit the occasion...

Laphroaig ‘Càirdeas Lore Cask Strength’ (59.6%, OB, Feis Ile 2025)

We learn that the ‘complex flavour is achieved by combining different casks’, which we find extremely interesting, do we not. Perhaps this is meant to compensate for the absence of an age statement, always a little disconcerting, particularly for a bottling purportedly of the special persuasion. But let us move on… Colour: full gold. Nose: let us not deny that this nose strikes fast and hard, compact and immensely medicinal and smoky, which cannot fail to delight us. Quite a bit of charcoal smoke and firwood ash. With water: almost feels like peated malt trying to mimic Laphroaig, as we do find the usual suspects front and centre, iodine, ash, cough syrup, smoke, firwood. Mouth (neat): ultra-massive. No room for finesse here, especially with that heavy oak presence, though it all works rather well in this beefy style, which could very well pair with surströmming. Well, I suppose so, never having tried it (please don’t). With water: a rather massive, lemony and resinous woodiness takes over proceedings. Finish: very long, now saltier still. The proverbial kippers! Comments: heavily steeped in oak but it does work, no doubt about it. Just, please, no surströmming…
SGP:377 - 86 points.

A second official one, but it’ll be the last for today...

Laphroaig 30 yo ‘2024 Release’ (45.8%, OB)

This baby ex-American oak and European sherry oak) I must admit we haven’t kept up with the official 30 year old in recent years, perhaps a missed opportunity, as we did love the old 30 at 43%, which went down like mother’s milk (albeit in far more generous pours, so drinkable it was…) Colour: deep gold. Nose: gone is the explosion of tropical fruits once found in earlier batches, yet what we have is rather coherent, a touch of camphor, massage oils, oysters, a little lime, then come whiffs of a beach at low tide. A few bits of bandage too. Lovely nose, no doubt. Mouth: beautifully saline, with a touch of active oak that might point to recent rerackings, followed by a fine, mentholated smokiness evocative of menthol cigarettes, along with those famous tropical fruits, though appearing only in measured quantities. Passion fruit and grapefruit. A little green walnut too, likely from the sherry. Finish: medium in length but very nicely medicinal and fruity at once, on lemon marmalade for instance. The aftertaste turns back towards ashes, with a touch of rubber and menthol, not unlike the profile of that NAS Feis Ile. Comments: clearly a success, despite the presence of active oak that does show just a little, I find.
SGP:566 - 89 points.

The next one goes first among the indies due to its low strength...

Alambic's Special Islay Malt 1991 1991/2023 (41.9%, Alambic Classique, Rare & Old Selection, cask #23012, refill sherry butt, 349 bottles)

Colour: full gold. Nose: brimming with softness, on baked apples with heaps of butter and caramel, hessian cloth, bergamots, pistachio and almond syrups, ancient beeswax polish and quince paste like gran used to make. Then come lovely whiffs of ‘old Laphroaig’, very beautiful, very subtle, with hints of mango and a light, elegant lapsang souchong. Quite splendid, sheer lacework! Mouth: almost feels like a re-creation of 1970s Laphroaig, perhaps thanks to a sherry influence leaning towards manzanilla, all in fine style. Lovely citrus fruits, shellfish, seaweed, grapefruit, sauvignon blanc (yes, I know, not exactly something you’ll find in Jerez) … Finish: not that short, saltier now, more on ashes. All in all, a tad more modern. Comments: more complex than the official 30-year-old, which it rather outshines in the end. As the great late Greg Lake said, c’est la vie, that’s life.
SGP:566 - 90 points.

Islay Single Malt 32 yo 1991/2024 (49.4%, Wein&Whisky, bourbon barrel, cask #4404742, 244.5 bottles)

That bottle count from the Whisky Kanzler is rather amusing, makes you wonder whether the final bottle was a 35cl, measured to the last drop) Colour: straw. Nose: yes, of course, here we are, the sheer beauty of a plain old bourbon barrel, with wheat, soft vanilla, sunflower oil, fresh almonds, then mango, very ripe banana, salves, touches of oil paint, wax, whelks and winkles, and an exquisitely refined and discreet peatiness. Mouth: glorious citrus notes, salty and joined by a rather petroly riesling. Less complex on the palate perhaps, but my word, how good it is! Finish: same idea, with striking freshness and that unbeatable combo of ashes, lemons and seawater to which resistance is entirely futile. Comments: a superb bottle, and we’ve only gone and forgotten to mention the green and pink peppers.
SGP:566 - 91 points.

Islay Single Malt 32 yo 1991 (49.8%, C. Dully Selection for Aqua Vitae Taiwan, bourbon barrel, cask #4402740, 258 bottles)

The famed theory of sister casks (eh?) would have us believe we’re extremely close to the previous one here. Naturally, no complaints on our end. Colour: straw. Nose: everything’s nearly identical in fact, though this one feels just a notch tighter, more nervous, fresher, one might even say more invigorating. Don’t tell me it’s the extra 0.4% ABV making all the difference. Mouth: once again, the same brilliant Laphroaig. Sure, one might unearth the tiniest differences with some forensic nosing, but we’d probably need a double magnum of each to draw firm conclusions. We wouldn’t object, but best not go there. Finish: again just a shade nervier and tauter, more vertical, though not enough to affect the high score. Comments: these not-so-secret Laphroaigs really are fantastic!
SGP:566 - 91 points.

Secret Islay 32 yo 1990/2022 (51.3%, The Whisky Blues, barrel, cask #904404365, 247 bottles)

Bach, Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart all gracing a single label, now that’s a promising sign for this baby which, that said, shouldn’t differ too drastically from its predecessors either. Let the music play!... Colour: straw. Nose: well then, we’ve talked ourselves into a corner, let’s admit it and make peace. Once again, we’re very close to previous editions, even if the vintage differs. No complaints here though, it’s magnificent, fresh, lively, joyful, precise, and more like a JSB fugue than a WAM requiem. Perhaps a tad closer to the original barley. With water: damp hessian steeped in seawater. Mouth (neat): goodness me, we’re close again! Lemon, pepper, seawater, ashes, riesling… Like a blade that slices you neatly in two, Uma Thurman-style, as they say. With water: just delicious. Slightly drier than the others, perhaps a notch more medicinal. Finish: long, perfect. In my view, you stash this in the freezer and sip it slowly with proper, genuine caviar. Comments: scrap the caviar, smoked salmon will do just fine.
SGP:566 – 91 points.

Right, let’s give it one last go, and if it doesn’t work out, well, we’ll just start over later.

Islay (LA) 34 yo 1990/2025 (51.7%, Signatory Vintage for WuDramClan, bourbon barrel, cask #4342, 221 bottles)

I’ve got a feeling about this one… Colour: straw. Nose: oh my, it’s lovely, very close again, with notes of lemon hummus and toasted sesame oil, the rest drifting between camphor, menthol, cough syrup, iodine, whelks, oysters and hessian. With water: a stack of fresh laundry in an old wardrobe and high-performance motor oil (ha.) Mouth (neat): oh, but this one’s a bit fuller, a bit oilier, a touch weightier than the others, and yet even tauter at the same time, with a wonderfully peppery lemon and even a pinch of chilli. Packs quite the punch for a 34-year-old, especially with no signs of reracking, or so one assumes. With water: small flat oysters, a hint of lemon, and champagne, with a curious touch of olive oil in the aftertaste. And that signature toasted sesame oil again. Finish: tighter, salty and oily, then orchard apples, followed by mezcal in the aftertaste. How amusing. Comments: seems we’ve managed to veer off the well-trodden path. A true gem, a little more brutish at moments, yet also more distinctive. Thirty-four years old, after all!
SGP:576 - 92 points.

The only small issue when tasting a series that’s all quite similar is that it gets rather tiring, especially, perhaps, when the drinks are of an exceptionally high standard. Anyway, see you next time, we’re off to bed. Figuratively speaking.

Check the index of all Laphroaig we've tasted so far

Some old Laphroaig and secret Islay, as promised

Some old Laphroaig and secret Islay,
as promised