Laphroaig's Quarter Cask is aged for 5 years in ex-bourbon casks, then transferred to quarter casks - which, just as they sound like, are casks a quarter the size of a normal cask - for about 7 months. Making this quite a young whisky indeed, but also a powerful, muscular one... yet not without nuance. Bottled at a very pleasing 48%, barrier filtered but not chill filtered, and colored with E150 (!?), let's see how it does 7 years after my last review...
Nose: Quite rich! And savory. Smoky char, ash, iodine, smoked meat, sweet seaweed, some lemon oil.
Mouthfeel: Oily, full.
Palate: Bright citrus, leather, tobacco, ash, black pepper, brown sugar, dark chocolate, dry wood tannins, thick swirling smoke.
Finish: Smoky, peaty, with pepper and leather accents. Lasts a very long time.
Verdict: I like this a little more than the 10 year expression, being a little more complex, a little less sweet, a little meatier, a little smokier. Slightly more powerful in general, which is also thanks to the higher ABV. Definitely worth trying if you like smoky Islay drams.
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