Laphroaig – 18 Year Old 2004 Antipodes Old Particular (Douglas Laing) (70cl, 49.3%)

This is a Laphroaig single malt from Islay, distilled in 2004 and bottled after 18 years of maturation by Douglas Laing as part of its Old Particular range, in the Antipodes series. It is bottled at 49.3% in a 70cl bottle. The whisky matured in a second-fill cask. It was bottled without chill filtration and without added colouring. The nose opens with smoky, medicinal peat, mustard seed, clove and pepper, then opens to passion fruit, kiwi, white flowers, camphor and candied lemon. On the palate come lemon, vanilla, cut hay, aniseed, ash and eucalyptus. The finish is long, earthy, iodine-like and salty, with a smoky, liquorice-edged peat.