Laphroaig Quarter Cask Review

The Laphroaig 10 was a bit much for me. The Quarter Cask is supposed to be the sweeter, creamier sibling, and a few people told me it’s the one to try if I wanted to understand what the fuss about Laphroaig is about.

I took that advice with a pinch of salt, which seems appropriate for a Laphroaig.

What it is

Laphroaig is on the south coast of Islay, and it was founded in 1815. It’s owned by Beam Suntory. The Quarter Cask starts out as Laphroaig matured in ex-bourbon barrels. It’s then moved to small casks, called quarter casks, which are about a quarter the size of a standard barrel. Smaller casks mean more wood contact, which speeds up maturation and adds sweetness.

It’s bottled at 48% and isn’t chill-filtered, and it has no age statement. The name refers to the cask size, and the story is that quarter casks were once carried by mule over the hills.

In the glass

I tried it neat, then with water, on a cold evening. I expected sweeter smoke, and I got something a bit different.

Nose: peat smoke and iodine, with vanilla and a hint of caramel. It smells like a smoky campfire next to a bakery. The medicinal note is still there.

Palate: smoky and creamy. Sweet vanilla comes through, and the texture is thicker than the 10. The medicinal edge is there, softened by the sweetness, and a little spice sits behind it. It’s a more rounded whisky, and the smoke still hits first.

Finish: long, smoky and slightly sweet. The smoke lingers, and the vanilla fades slowly. A few drops of water calmed the smoke and brought out more sweetness.

A second glass

I poured another glass a couple of nights later. It was better with the water, and I could pick out more of the vanilla. I still noticed the smoke the whole way through, and I can’t say it won me over.

How I would drink it

With a few drops of water, and a small piece of dark chocolate. The chocolate helped with the smoke. I tried it in an Old Fashioned too, which fans swear by, and the sweetness and bitters worked better than I expected.

Against the 10

Compared with the Laphroaig 10, the Quarter Cask is sweeter, creamier and a bit stronger. The medicinal note is less sharp. If you like the 10, you’ll probably like this more. If you found the 10 too harsh, this one is gentler, though still very smoky.

Against Jameson, it’s a different animal. Jameson is smooth and sweet and easy. Laphroaig is smoky and bold. I can see why people love it, and I don’t think I’m one of them.

Value

A 70 cl bottle usually costs about £50 in the UK. At 48% and with that character, I think it’s fair.

Who it is for

It’s for people who like smoky whisky and want something a bit sweeter and creamier. If you dislike smoke, don’t bother.

Sharing it

I poured a glass for a friend who loves peat, and he said it was “much creamier than the 10”, which made me think I might not have been wrong about the sweetness. He enjoyed it a lot, and I was happy to see the bottle go to a good home.

Pairing and serving

It’s the sort of whisky that pairs well with smoked salmon or a strong blue cheese. The smoke and the salt make sense together, and the sweetness of the whisky balances the richness of the food. I tried it with salmon, and it was a better experience than neat.

If you like Laphroaig and you want to try an Old Fashioned made with it, use less sugar than usual. The whisky has its own sweetness, and the drink comes out balanced.

Last word

Laphroaig Quarter Cask is a smoky, creamy, medicinal whisky that’s a good step from the 10. I can see why it has fans, and I’d say it’s a bottle for people who love peat. For me, the smoke is still the main thing, and I’d choose something sweeter.

Verdict

No. It’s a good whisky and a nice step from the 10. It’s still more smoke than I like, and I’d rather give the bottle to a friend who loves peat.