Whisky review: Laphroaig 10

This is the third Laphroaig I've reviewed, and probably not the last.

Laphroaig 10, 43% ABV

Single malt Scotch whisky (Islay)

Nose: Iodine, bandages, grass, smoke, toasted nuts.

Palate: Peat and smoke with a honey and vanilla background. Coal works its way in after a bit.

Finish: A bit of sweetness immediately after swallowing, and then peat and smoke just linger on and on...

Rating (of 100): 90. When I first tried Laphroaig, it blew my mind - I was fairly new to whisky and had never sampled a peated one. Now, having drunk my fair share of barbecue-in-a-bottle malts, the Laphroaig 10 doesn't stand out as particularly peaty or smoky, but it does still hold a character that I always like. It has a grassy youthfulness that does indeed make me think of a barbecue...one of those almost-summer barbecues where the lawn has come back to life and so has the neighborhood.

Whisky review: Jameson 18

You can read more information about the Jameson distillery at my review of the standard Jameson bottling. This particular bottling is also a blend and has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, then finished in first-fill bourbon barrels.

Jameson 18 Year, 40% ABV

Blended Irish whiskey

Nose: Mint, juicy red fruit - plump strawberries and raspberries, and all kinds of grapes.

Palate: Just like the nose but a little lighter on the fruit and with an added note of toasted wood. Velvety smooth.

Finish: Mint, wood and spices. Warming.

Rating (of 100): 88. I like the nose and the mouthfeel but I guess this whisky just doesn't have enough chutzpah to really get me motivated to rank it in the 90s.