A 1997 vintage of Laphroaig bottled by Signatory vintage, aged for 17 years in hogshead (cask no. 8368), distilled on the 8th of October, 1997, and bottled on the 5th of March, 2015, with a yield of 318 bottles.
Nose: Flinty, mineralic peat with soft sea spray. A tropical fruit bowl follows: mangos, pineapples, orange rind. A touch of vanilla fudge here too. Then comes the medicine cabinet- iodine, slight sticking plaster- all rounded off with slightly astringent bitter-sweet oak.
Palate: Again, the flinty minerals take the limelight, before a peat depth charge explodes on the palate. Slight lemongrass here, with citrus rind, vanilla and toffee. Smoked oak, with a little honey suckle and elderflower.
Finish: A bit of chilli powder and peat, with citrus and vanilla. Long.
Overall: Truly excellent whisky. Long term Laphroaig lovers will not be disappointed, this is classic Laphroaig, which really shows the distillery house style at its best. Peaty, powerful, coastal and subtle- you couldn't ask for anything more from an Islay malt.