Laphroaig 28 Year Old Scotch Is A Worthy Mix Of Whisky Casks

The new Laphroaig 28 Year Old is drawn from liquid from a mix of different Scotch whisky cask sizes that was then married for a year in ex-sherry casks.
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Popular Scotch whisky distillery Laphroaig last year brought to market for lovers of older bottlings a well received 27 year old expression. Now those behind this operation have outdone themselves a bit more for 2018, offering up a 28 year old that’s experienced a range of different cask influences.

The new Laphroaig 28 Year Old, according to to those behind it, was first matured in different sizes casks ranging from quarter casks to butts. This exposure to different wood to liquid ratios played with the flavors in different ways over the long slumber, and the resulting whiskies were then married in ex-sherry casks for upwards of a year before the final bottling was produced.

Laphroaig 28 Year Old
Laphroaig 28 Year Old (image via Beam Suntory)

Laphroaig’s latest whisky is bottled at 88.8 proof, or 44.4% ABV. Plans call for this Scotch that’s colored coppery gold to be available for a limited time in retailers nationwide for around $800 per 750 ml bottle. You’ll find some limited official tasting notes below for your consideration. For those unfamiliar with this distillery, here’s a little factoid to know: based in Islay, Laphroaig is one of a few distilleries that still uses traditional malting floors and dries and infuses its own malt with the thick blue smoke from old peat-fired kilns.

  • Nose: Rich and peaty with aroma of grilled dates, Manuka honey, and a hint of licorice, complemented by notes of Islay heather, dry thyme and rosemary.
  • Body: Full bodied.
  • Palate: Sweet with baked pears and vanilla notes complemented by salted toffee, burnt wood, marinated grilled meat, and ground black pepper.
  • Finish: Sweet and peppery with dried spices, cedar and complex lingering peaty flavor.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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