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Хересный Laphroaig 14 лет: сушёные и красные фрукты, умеренный торфяной дым, йод, тёмный шоколад. Опытные хвалят вкус, но единодушно ругают завышенную цену и потерю фирменного фенольно-торфяного характера.
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В аромате открывается сушёными фруктами (изюм, инжир, финики) и красными ягодами со сладким хересным подтоном, к которым добавляются умеренный дым камина, йодистые и медицинские ноты, кожа, тёмный шоколад, мята и травы, лёгкий морской бриз; у части авторов проступают мясные и умами-оттенки — копчёный шварцвальдский окорок, вяленая рыба, соус барбекю. Вкус маслянистый, умеренно сладкий, с изюмом, сливами, ежевикой, копчёной клубникой, цитрусовой цедрой, тёмным шоколадом и чёрным перцем; торфяной дым приглушённый, солёность и морские ноты выражены слабо. Послевкусие средней длины или длинное, тёплое, торфяно-дымное, с красными фруктами, соляной карамелью, кожей и травами; отдельные авторы жалуются на дубильную вязкость и сиропность.
Опытные ревьюеры сходятся, что напиток вкусный, но фирменный фенольно-торфяной характер Laphroaig (медицинский, повязки, водоросли, тёплый гудрон) заметно приглушён — это скорее хересный островной виски, чем классический Laphroaig, и цена (около 150 €) не соответствует содержимому; несколько авторов прямо жалеют о покупке и предпочитают более дешёвые Sherry Oak или PX Cask. Остальные оценки колеблются шире: часть находит купаж отлично сбалансированным и исключительно питким (вплоть до 90 и одиночных 97), другим не хватает сложности, глубины и цельности, а один автор счёл его нетипичным и перегруженным. При среднем рейтинге 87.86 согласованность умеренная: почти все признают качество исполнения, но расходятся в том, насколько потеря узнаваемого торфяного характера и высокая цена это обесценивают.
Quite powerful and peaty
| Нос |
86 |
Dark berries, dark honey, spices, cinnamon, cloves, tobacco, sherry, whiff of smoke, pepper, little earthy, dark chocolate, cocoa |
| Вкус |
86 |
Oily, spices, tobacco, woody, sherry, subtle sweetness, little smoky and peaty, herbs, dried fruits, dark chocolate |
| Финиш |
85 |
Medium long, warm, spices, tobacco, woody, little peaty and smoky |
It seems we'll have to get used to the fact that Laphroaig has become tamer. Like the other recent new Laphroaig bottlings, this 14-year-old also lacks several characteristics that have been familiar to Laphroaig over the past decades. The distinctly phenolic peat smoke, the unventilated hospital corridor, the used gauze bandage, the dried seaweed, the freshly paved road: all of that now seems to belong – more or less – to the past. Apart from that, the Willem is really quite tasty, only the price doesn't quite match the whisky.
| Нос |
87 |
Whoops, for a 14-year-old Laphroaig, that's a pretty clean nose. There's peat smoke, sure, but I don't see any used gauze or warm tar paper—let alone dried seaweed. Okay, let's not dwell on the past and just go with the flow. A mix of dried and fresh fruits: red currants, smoked strawberries, raisins, and nearby, a campfire of dry wood and peat. Black Forest ham, smoky BBQ sauce, dried fish. Now it's slowly getting going, keep it up. Slightly phenolic—finally—and a bandage. |
| Вкус |
87 |
A very pleasant start. Even those who don't usually care for Laphroaig, but enjoy sherry-forward Islay peat smokes, should have no problem with this. Fresh plums, raisins, blackberries, smoked strawberries. The tomato smoke is quite subtle (at this point, jaws should definitely drop; after all, we're talking about Laphroaig here), Black Forest ham, toffee, latte macchiato. |
| Финиш |
86 |
Medium-long finish, pleasantly peaty, smoky, with notes of smoky strawberries, red currants, raisins, bacon, and herbal at the end. |
| Нос |
87 |
Sweet with moderate fireplace smoke, earthy, vegetable broth, chocolate, tea, a hint of red fruit, orange peel, rotten wood, subtle sea breeze |
| Вкус |
89 |
Moderately sweet, more red fruits, fireplace smoke, orange, tart cherries, sea breeze, bandages, dark chocolate, freshly ground pepper, a pinch of coffee |
| Финиш |
88 |
Long, red fruits wrapped in delicate smoke, quite sweet, salty caramel, leather, dark chocolate, herbs, grilled meat |
The price-quality ratio is not OK. Nice to taste, but ultimately a shame that I bought a bottle.
| Нос |
87 |
It opens beautifully with dried fruit in the form of raisins, figs, and dates. The whole is followed by a light medicinal cloud, some leather, a modest mint leaf, and modest peat smoke. |
| Вкус |
88 |
The flavor profile combines a fruit bowl of dried fruit: raisins, dates, and figs with various red fruits. Furthermore, roasted citrus peel, Haribo candy, some chocolate chips, modest medicinal influences, and leather. 87.5 / 100 for the flavor profile. |
| Финиш |
87 |
Long finish. A synthesis of the flavor profile. |
For €150++ he wouldn't deliver enough as a large bottle. The sample was nice, but I actually find the Laphroaig 10yo Sherry Oak a bit tastier in comparison, because it has more Laphi DNA than Mr. Dafoe.
| Нос |
88 |
Mentholated sauna infusion. Spicy bone broth. Plum and rum stew. And a subtle lactic note (ayran). All well-rounded and beautiful, intense without being harsh. |
| Вкус |
86 |
Peppery and oily. You can definitely taste the wood. It's quite strong; I prefer the aroma of smoked ham from the Black Forest cooked over charcoal, but I'm not sure if I'd like the distinctly pungent woodiness. |
| Финиш |
86 |
Interesting fruitiness at the very end, but the tongue and palate are still struggling with the tannins. |
Laphroaig is quite pleasant and warm to the taste! In its finest, most vibrant, and powerful flavor-aromatic form! The creators may have removed the "The Most Flavored Scotch Whisky" label from the labels, but we know who's boss! There wasn't enough roundness and full maturity to reach catharsis, and the salt in the taste had disappeared somewhere.*( 22.5 22.5 21 21
нос 87 · вкус 86 · финиш 86
Drinkable, but relatively generic and poor value for money in my opinion.
нос 86 · вкус 87 · финиш 86
нос 85 · вкус 87 · финиш 86
нос 86 · вкус 86 · финиш 87
нос 84 · вкус 85 · финиш 84
нос 88 · вкус 89 · финиш 88
нос 89 · вкус 87 · финиш 88
нос 88 · вкус 88 · финиш 87
It has an oily viscosity and a highly intense bouquet. I detect aromas of intense, maritime peat smoke, vanilla, crème brûlée, leather, smoked bacon, dried fruit, nuts, refreshing mint, and orange. Not particularly complex. A good balance between sweetness and dryness in terms of flavor. The alcohol is well integrated, and it has a heavy body.
Laphroaig Distillery, Isle of Islay 2026/05/26
нос 88 · вкус 89 · финиш 88
Small Laphroaig lineup including the new 15-year-old (WB298482), an older bottling of the 18-year-old (WB42886), the Willem Dafoe bottling (WB298483) and the Cairdeas release from 2019 (WB131564).
| Нос |
86 |
As the color already suggested, there's a significant cask influence. But the Cairdeas bottlings are also prone to this. So how does it compare directly? The 53.7% ABV is very well integrated and doesn't burn the nose at all. Both have that excellent combination of Laphi peat and sherry, which usually works well for me. While the Cairdeas also has a vanilla and pepper note, here, as expected from the cask, the focus is clearly on sweet berry notes paired with a slight medicinal note. It's really lovely, but unfortunately, that's about it. For 14 years, it lacks versatility or at least variety. |
| Вкус |
86 |
It starts off very sweet and slightly astringent. A touch of alcoholic sharpness, but no peppery spice. Overall, there's little oak for the intense sherry influence. The impression from the nosing continues: a nice style, but somehow lacking complexity and depth. The Cairdeas offers significantly more, even if it is presumably younger. |
| Финиш |
87 |
Hold on a bit. The spiciness is most noticeable now. The finish is medium-long. It remains straightforward until the very end, but I like the finish best. Nevertheless, it must be said: at this price, you can easily do without a bottle. |
нос 87 · вкус 88 · финиш 86
So glad I had the chance to try it blind with no clue beforehand. Very (sherry) laphroaig-y upfront, band aids, iodine, but also dried fruits. Reminds me of a distinguished version of the last dark batches of Triple Wood a bit. Strength is perfect, balance very good. This is how those Cairdeas bottlings should ideally always be... :-) Really pleasant, good vatting.
нос 88 · вкус 88 · финиш 89
A successful bottling
| Нос |
89 |
On the nose, Manouka honey and typical medicinal notes. A hint of marzipan? |
| Вкус |
88 |
Beautifully complex and powerful |
| Финиш |
87 |
Medium length |
A Laphroaig, but a little different and exceptionally drinkable. It certainly won't appeal to die-hard Laphroaig aficionados, but I like it immensely. The nutty spice, the well-balanced sherry, and yet the typical Laphroaig notes. A fantastic balance!
нос 89 · вкус 91 · финиш 90
нос 86 · вкус 87 · финиш 87
A 14-year-old Laphi and 93-point ratings in the base? That makes me curious, and at the end of the exercise I have to ask myself if I had the same distillate in my glass.
A pronounced character on the nose, which glides into the already seen on the palate, while remaining within the realm of an intriguing and layered dram. If the contemporary ten-year-old is the starting point, this has the merit of enriching it and making it more interesting, less blatant in its flattery without completely abandoning it.
| Нос |
89 |
At first approach, it feels like opening a box of dried aromatic herbs: thyme, mint, rosemary, oregano... with mint and oregano becoming more intense over time. The main body has a strong umami presence, with roast beef, teriyaki sauce, and brined olives, surrounded by softer parts of candied orange, sweet licorice, milk chocolate, blackberries, and cashews. The smoke is delicate, maritime, and only slightly medicinal, a deep note rather than overpowering. Moldy wood lies in the background. Rich and complex, far from the excesses that Laphroaig itself boasts about. |
| Вкус |
86 |
The coastal smoke is more evident, yet still in a minor tone, a landscape where evocative elements lay softly, with aromatic herbs always intertwined with spices (black pepper, turmeric, nutmeg, a pinch of saffron). The umami aspect is somewhat lost in favor of sweeter impressions from dried red fruits (goji berries, currants, blackberries, strawberries), Haribo-like licorice, bitter orange marmalade, chocolate, and toasted pine nuts, with a good dose of brine and medicinal notes. Burnt wood lingers throughout. More distinctly modern Laphroaig, but (a bit) less cheesy. |
| Финиш |
86 |
Long, among spices, smoke, iodized notes and medicinal, aromatic herbs, citrus fruits, red fruits, and wood. |
A very solid whisky with a lovely sherry flavor and aroma. Clearly an Islay malt, but the typical Laphroaig character (the smoky, phenolic element that makes Laphroaig so unique) isn't as pronounced in this bottling. As of May 2026, we will be at approximately 88 P median, which is exactly how I would see it. PS: The advertising with Willem Dafoe is simply superb; that alone justifies liking this bottling!
Very atypical and charged, not my cup of tea.
| Нос |
83 |
Cherries, leather, lacquer and a touch of acidity, but not a fruity acidity. |
| Вкус |
81 |
Highly charged. Intense sweetness of dark dried fruits paired with a slightly bitter, woody note. A touch of marzipan and maritime hints in the background. The mouthfeel is syrupy. |
| Финиш |
82 |
Maritime notes of iodine and seaweed become somewhat more present, but the syrupy sweetness still predominates. |
Somewhat disappointing considering the price. And there are many sherry-matured Laphroaigs in this age range (unmaturities) that are significantly cheaper and tastier. I like Willem Dafoe a lot, but this Laphroaig doesn't really suit him. Anyone looking for a great actor's whisky should try the Harrison Ford Glenmorangie.
Decent modern Laph, peat, seaweed, palate is not balanced, for such a high abv, body is watery but on the other hand it's oily with some bbq notes.
By no means a bad whisky; anyone who likes Laphroaig Sherry Oak or PX Cask will also like this whisky. Considering that for that price you can get two liter bottles of PX cask or almost three bottles of Sherry Oak, the price-performance ratio isn't right; you're simply paying for the Willem name on it. I'm glad I bought one bottle, but I won't buy a second one because of the price-performance ratio.
Really liking this, very mild on the usual Laphroaig-peat and heavy on the Sherry. Almost reminds me of a Glenfarclas from Islay.
Nothing wrong but nothing special.
Some alcoholic notes, a hint of candied fruit, iodine, tobacco, sweetness, and a touch of straw; the flavor profile feels somewhat understated.
нос 87 · вкус 87 · финиш 86
On the nose, menthol tobacco with cinnamon, later incense-like. The alcohol is perfectly integrated. Then smoked ham and paprika potato chips. The flavor is reminiscent of salted potato chips, somewhat milky, and atypical for Laphroaig. It has a kind of brandy kick, yet at the same time soft and mild, with smoke and wood spice blending almost perfectly in the end... I like it.
A firm, smoky, and oily texture. You taste roasted nuts, cocoa, peat, and the sweetness of the sherry. A long, warm finish in which the smoke slowly transitions into dark chocolate and subtle spices.