Laphroaig Scotch Single Malt Quarter Cask 1996

This expression offers an irresistible doubling of flavour due to the double maturation in two casks made of American oak.

On the nose the sensation is toffee and caramel, caused by the vanillas and tannins of the American oak, plus a dryness from the wood oil.

The finish is long and alternates between this sweetness and smoke.

The whisky looks like liquid gold in the glass, a fine appearance for any Scotch, while the nosing is gloriously oily and ashy, indicative of a total peat bomb. The initial tasting follows up on that promise, delivering flavors that are smoky almost to the extreme, but not so much so as to become overpowering. The wall of smoke leaves room for dashes of cinnamon and other spices, a bit of oakiness, and a spoonful of silky sweetness.