Laphroaig Elements 1.0

Laphroaig's Elements 1.0 is a small batch experiment, a whisky that Laphroaig fermented for 55 hours (which is on the short end of the spectrum - average is about 60-70). The remainder of the process... well, I'll let Laphroaig speak for themselves: 

Typically, we use two 5.5 tonne mash tuns at Laphroaig to give us 11 tonnes of wort to go into the washback. For this expression, the team looked back to the pre-1990s when it was common practice to use a singular 8.5 tonne mash tun, and used it in addition to the two 5.5s for a whisky that's the result of old meeting new.

The wort we pull from the tuns through to the washbacks is usually semi-cloudy, which is what gives Laphroaig its combination of fruity and smoky flavours. For Elements 1.0, we’ve also pulled through cloudy wort, which gives us bigger and heavier flavours, emphasising the phenolic notes. Cloudy wort can be quite bold and a little overpowering, but this 50/50 mix of cloudy and semi-cloudy has balanced out perfectly.

Interesting! A bit technical, but I definitely latch onto keywords like "heavier flavors," and "balanced out perfectly." Bottled with no age statement at 58.6% ABV, sold out everywhere, let's see how this experiment fares:

Nose: This is like scenting straight up olive brine. It's intense, bracing, and very pungent. Black olives, green olives, pimento and garlic olives. It's incredible, and the only thing I've had like this is one of the Big Peat Christmas editions from Douglas Laing. 

After the intense olive note fades a little - after about 15-20 minutes - I get soft vanilla and pastry (custard pie), charred rubber (tire fire!), bonfire smoke, iodine, and a fistful of herbs from the garden. 

I also get the merest hints of the advertised tropical fruit (unripe mango), along with waves of licorice and ... maybe peppercorns. Spicy. It's a really zany nose, so olive-forward and savory, and tremendously punchy!

Mouthfeel: Middle of the road in terms of heaviness, but silky texture. 

Palate: Some alcohol burn, as expected. Then: rubber, iodine, smoke, huge slabs of peat, pineapple juice, olive brine, black licorice, sea salt, and even more herbs than on the nose (!). It's truly a wild ride. 

Finish: Insanely long: smoke, peat, olives, pineapple rinds, and bitter herbs. 

Verdict: This is a powerful, muscular, but also decidedly unhinged Laphroaig experience. I wouldn't be surprised if this is mostly 3-5 year juice. It's so salty, so briny, so herbal... the tropical fruit and vanilla are nearly totally swept away. That said, as spiky and punchy as it is, it's a lot of fun and quite tasty if those flavors are up your alley. I would recommend this, but only to Laphroaig fans or those who already knew they exist in the strange flavor corners of the scotch universe.