One of Laphroaig’s no-age-statement expressions, the Quarter Cask has been matured in traditional ’quarter cask’ barrels, i.e. barrels that hold a quarter the volume of liquid of the usual cask, and so the liquid has more exposure to the surface area of the wood and so the whisky can ‘mature’ quicker than in the normal, larger casks. This may sound like a cheat’s way of doing things but after 7 or so years, the results are spectacular…
ABV: 48%
Nose
M: Instant smoke, peat and malt
S: A sweet smokey hit
T: Where’s the fire? In my nose… and I like it! Sweet, peaty, wood embers on the camp fire.
Taste
M: Big peaty hit with a digestive biscuit base and a distinct Kidalton coastline aftertaste.
S: It’s like the 10 but more…intense. A salty Islay spray blends with the peat.
T: Islay (Pronouced ‘Is lay’…ha ha) in a nut shell. The taste I associate with this blessed island. It’s an intensified 10 but more rounded, the flavours keep coming and coming, warm and tasty.
Finish
M: Long, smooth and smoky
S: Perhaps unexpectedly deep for a no-age-statement…the smoke rises gloriously back into your mouth.
T: As with the taste, this is the whisky that just keeps giving… a long flavoursome smokefest. I think everyone would find something different here, but something worth finding.
Verdict
M: An absolute belter. I always make sure that there’s a bottle of this in the cabinet! Oh, and who needs “age statements”? If it’s quality you’re after, this is it. Fresh, sweet, malty, smoky and smooth as. 9.0
S: It’s young but is an absolute knock-out! A Laphroaig wild stallion that has been tamed–best consumed on a deep winter night in front of an open fire! 8.7
T: It’s fair to say the WhiskyUnplugged boys loved this number from first sip! Just buy it – you’ll struggle to find better for the price. Just be careful if you live next to a fire station as its pungent smokeyness could induce unwanted attention from the firefighters! (Oh and well done Laphroaig for not going down the “Mit Karamel” route a la the 10 year) 8.9
Top tip: After finishing your quarter cask dram, leave your empty glass overnight. Give it a deep sniff the next day…it’s like a vanilla bean explosion, heavenly sweet that even your non-whisky drinking dependants will appreciate!
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