Head to head: Laphroaig 10 and Quarter Cask

[bifter]

Founded in 1815, Laphroaig is perhaps the most famous Islay distillery and has an interesting history, which I won't go into here. However, according to Johannes van den Heuvel, Laphroaig was the subject of the very first detailed independent history of a specific distillery, 'The Legend of Laphroaig' by Marcel van Gils and Hans Offringa. Laphroaig is also the favourite tipple of Charles, Prince of Wales and the bottles have carred a royal warrant since 1994 as a result. On visiting the distillery the prince famously crashed his plane attempting to land on the windy Islay runway.

This review is another head-to-head (cf. my review of Glenlivet Nadurra and Nadurra Triumph), this time between the flagship Laphroaig 10 year old, which needs little introduction and the Quarter Cask expression, which was first released in 2004. The quarter cask is so-called as it is matured in small American oak casks (circa 125l) for around five years. These were traditionally easier, particularly in the days of excise evasion, for mules to carry. As the casks are smaller there is a greater ratio of the wood to spirit and therefore greater interaction between the two (circa 30%), accelerating the maturation process. The QC is non-chill filtered and is bottled at 48%. The 10 is bottled at 40% though, in some markets, at 43%. Both are similarly priced, around £30 at full retail price though I find both are often heavily discounted. So, on to the tasting! After pouring an hour before and covering the glasses, I began with nosing the 10, then the QC, then tasted each in that order also.

The peatiness of the 10, like most Laphroaig expressions, overpowered pretty much everything else on initial nosing. TCP, Germolene and surgical spirit notes predominated accompanied by other peat and smoke elements that were harder to place - what came to mind were tarry fishing nets and bonfires of well-seasoned wood. If I really concentrated I was able to discern husky barley aromas and hops with a pinch of ginger.

The palate provided initial vanilla and wood notes (pencils?), before the medicinal peat came rushing in along with some seaweed, brine, fennel and aniseed. The long finish was riven with peat once more becoming hot like chillies and particularly astringent. Jim Murray notes a little bitterness in the finish and I doff my hat to him for that spot.

The QC is a shade lighter in the glass but, though Laphroaig tout the barrier filtration of the QC, they make no representations about added caramel. The legs begin earlier, being younger but are thinner due to the high abv. The nose had peat again but this time more vegetal and mossy, with even a hint of bog-gas and Arbroath smokies (smoked haddock).There was also a slight honey sweetness on the nose unlike the 10, which was all savoury.

The unwatered palate was sharper due to the alcohol content, the peat and smoke were there, again less medicinal than the 10. The mouthfeel was waxy and oily and there was a strong vanilla note present along with that honey again. I could tell this was a younger whisky but what it lacked in mature barley smoothness it made up for in sheer vitality. The finish was long given its age leaving a waxy coating on the mouth and not drying to the same extent as the 10.

These two are peat monsters and certainly evocative of their origins, perhaps more so than any other Islay malt. Many reviews I've seen rate the QC more highly, including Jim Murray (96 to 90). In any head-to-head review I wouldn't feel the need to commend one whisky over another but, in this case, I would have no hesitation in stating a preference for the Laphroaig 10 year old. The barley is more mature, the peat notes are more medicinal (and idiosyncratic of the distillery) and the finish is more astringent. I really enjoy the QC and it's worth every penny but Laphroaig 10 retains it's place, for me, as the best value Islay whisky that money can buy.
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"Whisky is liquid sunshine."
[George Bernard Shaw]

[Alexppp]

Another great review. I also read your impressions of the two Laphroaigs in the other forum and no, I don't think your opinion is controversial, although personally the QC is a clear favourite. I agree with your tasting notes and impressions, and I think that if the 10 year-old was bottled at 43% or more, I'd probably prefer it. As it is, however, it has a funny sweet note that ruins the effect of the unadulterated smoke for me. A 43% bottling I had in the past didn't have that sweet note and the extra ABV also gave it the kind of kick such a strong whisky deserves. But, comparing the current bottles I have of each whisky, I prefer the more full-bodied attack of the QC even if the smoke itself is less overpowering.

[bifter]