Laphroaig SMWS 29.157 “Heidi’s Holiday to Islay”

(Thanks again to /u/Scotch_Fanatic for these drams, I’m sure he has many nice things)

Islay’s. Just the word evokes peaty, beefy drams and amazing countryside. Originally I had planned to visit the island that helps make Confidence and Smoke, however the Canadian dollar pouched itself and I was left with less buying power.

Thanks Global Political issues that can’t be summed up or blamed on just one person.

So instead I’m going to live vicariously though Heidi with my next dram Laphroaig SMWS 29.157 “Heidi’s Holiday to Islay”.

This time I imagine a young woman, blonde, excited for a trip, flying over Scotland as she imagines all the peaty glory. Her dreams are interrupted by the plane lurching, a giant octopus grabbing at the plane, laughing as it’s eaten, the only survivor a plucky and determined woman who has dove out, knife in her teeth, frayed golden locks tied back as she digs her way to the belly of the beast, ending it’s life and saving Islay from yet another of it’s beast attacks.

That’s what happens there, right? I haven’t been.

Price: N/A in Ontario

Region: Islay

Abv: 59.2%

Age: 17 years

Date Distilled: 19th September 1996

Cask Type: Refill ex-sherry butt

Colour: Brown

Nose: Toffee, cinnamon, sea salt, floral, rosemary, grass

I’m going to be honest: Originally I had the numbers off, and was surprised later to find it out.

There’s almost no big smoke or peat notes. Rather a spicy, earthy, and salty mixture instead. It’s (again) a different beast than other Islay’s I’ve had.

Taste: Rosemary, lemon, ash/smoke, caramel

Oddly very simple flavour profile. I added some water, yet still couldn’t really find much to it.

Damn Kaiju attacks, throwing off the whisky.

Finish: Anise, butter, cashew, almond, grassy, pear, smoke

Nice recovery on the finish, and I’m finally getting more of the peat influence here. Very nutty and buttery, actually, so that’s a surprise.

Conclusion: From the stats I’d assume this was some hybrid between the PX, the 18, and the CS. Yet it drinks like the Select with less complexity on the taste, so it misses out. I like the nose, yet overall couldn’t recommend spending the money on this one, as there are better out there.

And we need the best, if we’re going to defend against monsters from another time and space.

73/100

Scotch review #286, Islay review #65, Whisky Network review #423