Laphroaig – Lore (70cl, 48%)

Laphroaig Lore is an Islay single malt in a 70cl bottle, bottled at 48%. It was created by distillery manager John Campbell as a tribute to the many generations of Laphroaig distillery managers before him. The whisky is a marriage of Laphroaig of many ages, some as old as 1993, matured in a combination of casks that includes bourbon, first fill sherry butts and quarter casks. The nose opens with lanolin, orange cake and a little dilute iodine, then turns earthy before sweet malt comes forward. The palate is medium dry and clean, with sweet smoke, dark chocolate and salted caramel fudge. The finish is delicately bitter, with a lingering lanolin, iodine and pepper tang.