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.

Whisky review: Balblair 1991 Vintage

To learn more about Balblair, see my earlier review of the Balblair 1997 Vintage.

Like the 1997, the 1991 Vintage was also aged completely in ex-bourbon casks and bottled in 2009.

Balblair 1991 Vintage, 43% ABV

Single malt Scotch whisky (Highlands)

Nose: I'm struck by a juicy, ripe fruit bouquet. (And no, my wife isn't beating me with the groceries again.) Apples, peaches, syrup, pecan pie. Creamy, if a nose can be creamy. After a while, I also get cookie dough.

Palate: Lighter flavors than the nose would lead me to believe. Citrus and some toasty wood. The mouthfeel is great - nice weight and very smooth.

Finish: This whisky finishes with gusto. Gone are the light fruits and the lah-dee-dahs of the palate. Darker wood and darker fruits trail off gently...

Rating (of 100): 89. Just one point below the 1997! I guess this means the 1997 is a much better value, in my opinion. I feel like the '97 is true from start to finish, while this one is great in the beginning, loses it a bit in the middle, and then tries to make it up in the finale. Almost...but the tortoise wins the day.