Time for a short interlude from the GlenDronach single casks (will continue tomorrow GD fans, so now worries , eh?) with a very different and much younger dram from Islay, and from one of the most interesting Indie bottlers : Single Cask Nation. I’ve tried a few of their earlier cask bottlings, and this is the first out of 3 new ones I am going to visit in the coming weeks (Dalmore 12 , and Glen Moray 12 to come soon , so watch this space!). This cask bottling as distilled in November 2006, was matured in a refill bourbon hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength in April 2013 at 57.8% ABV. Cask #119 yielded 269 bottles. I’ve seen a review of this one a few weeks ago by Serge of Whisky Fun, and he was very impressed. Let’s see for ourselves then:
Single Cask Nation Laphroaig 6 yo , 57.8% , $85 (members only)
Nose: Islay. Period. Shall we move to the palate? Ok.. I’m kidding but you get my drift: pure and wonderful textbook Laphroaig. Medicinal. Iodine and wet bandages. Tar. Seaweed. Sweet pepper. Cinnamon gum. Earth. Tar. Peat. And lots of it. Seaside notes galore. Some seaweed too, and it’s all built around sweet fruity sort of Pear and apple drops backbone. young, right?
Palate: Big peat avalanche in your face!! Salty. Peaty and lots of wood smoke. Brine, pepper and chilly. Sweet and salty at the same time. Maritime. Oh yeah. Pure fun!
Finish : Smokey and very very long. Earth. Salt. Pepper.
In short:
Brilliant stuff. Young feisty and excellent, this is how a Laph. should taste, no sherry,no nonsense, Ex-bourbon fun with peat and seaside notes. A brilliant choice of cask (good work Jason,Josh and Seth). If you’re in the USA, get one, it’s a no brainer actually. one of the better young Laphroaigs you’re going to taste, no doubt.