New Directions... Laphroaig Triple Wood

Not long ago I visited the whisky shop at Gatwick Airport on a trip out to the island of Guernsey in the English Channel. This was the first time I had visited a duty-free and paid close attention to the whisky sold. Of the various export-only whiskies one alone caught my eye, the Laphroaig Triple Wood. At the time I wrote it off as one to buy in the future when I didn't have a holiday budget to cling to. Little did I know that shortly afterwards the Laphroaig Triple Wood would be made available to the UK market and this was an opportunity I couldn't miss.

This dram is another triumph for this Islay distillery. It builds on the fantastic groundwork laid by the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Like the Quarter Cask it undergoes aging in both Bourbon and nineteenth-century style quarter casks but then it benefits from additional ageing in sherry casks. The result is profound, what you get is a whisky undeniably Laphroaig but with an uncharacteristic fruitiness that lends this whisky a new direction that fails to disappoint. I may have to get another bottle of this bizarre malt.

Laphroaig Triple Wood
48% - No Age Statement
Nose: There is that clear Laphroaig medicinality that reminds me in this case of Karvol, the decongestant. This is followed by tropical fruits and a touch of cinnamon that I was not suspecting.
Palate: The palate was more remarkably Laphroaig although softer and more rounded with medium-body and that fruit presence recurring again.
Finish: Peaty, maritime and strong. Everything I could want from a Laphroaig.
Overall: Very impressive, this builds on the already fantastic Quarter Cask, the use of sherry casks just adds another dimension of complexity. Oh and I forgot to mention, great value too!