Laphroaig 9 Year (SMWS 29.272 "Fire Your Engines")

 

My last review of the cursed, haunted, evil year that was 2020! So I saved an interesting one - an independent bottling of Laphroaig, which don't seem to come up on the market very often. This one is aged in bourbon barrels (no funny business with reracking into sherry casks, wine casks, etc.) for 9 years and bottled at a healthy 57.5%. Laphroaig is Laphroaig... right? This comes from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, is coded 29.272, and nicknamed Fire Your Engines. 

Nose: There is an INSANELY vivid fragrance of lemon peel. I actually have lemons on hand, so I zested one and ... sure enough, it's exactly the same odor. So - bold, giant lemon peels. Almost like Pledge cleaner. Intriguingly, underneath the lemon peel is the distinctive smell of bacon, maybe bacon fat. Iodine is in there. Peat, of course. And ... turnips?? Some kind of root vegetable pairs up with the bacon. The longer you let the glass sit, the more the lemon recedes and makes way for the savory flavors - this is highly recommended until you're looking for a lemon peel bomb. This is interesting because it's both similar to other cask strength Laphroaig I've had, but turned up to 11. 

Mouthfeel: Very viscous. 

Palate: Follows the nose pretty closely - lemon, bacon - but adds malted barley and vanilla into the mix. It's less harsh than the nose might imply. It's also comes across as very young, with a rapid development. It's brash and has a lot of personality, but I kind of miss the rounded corners and balance of the original 10 year bottling. This is intense, heady stuff. 

Finish: Lemons follow all the way into the finish, along with black pepper and raw oak. It's not a long finish, as the smoke quotient here is quite low. 

Verdict: This is yet another curiosity from the SMWS. It's definitely reminiscent of Laphroaig, generally, but has a couple giant departures, too. Ironically, I usually think of Laphroaig as being both sweeter and smokier than this - this is bitter, and savory on the nose, a little sweeter and fleeting on the tongue, and bitter again on the finish. Interesting, though - worth a try if you can find it.