Comments on: Review: new Laphroaig 25 year old

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:20:55 +0000

Red, I have cut it (just a little bit) and it tastes great. Having said this, it is good to go just as it is.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:16:27 +0000

Andre, I never had the chance to taste the 21 yo, but I’ve seen it around.

By: Red_Arremer

Red_Arremer — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:02:57 +0000

Can’t wait to get a taste. I’m particularly curious about how it works at lower strengths. Has anyone tried water with it?

By: Andre

Andre — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:33:22 +0000

Could it be compared with another recent release, the 21 yo Laphroaig (originally exclusive for Heathrow Airport) which sells for a similar (exorbitant) price ?

By: Rich

Rich — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:04:19 +0000

great… just when i’ve convinced myself that i don’t need a bottle, you guys go and up the ante… /:)

i guess i’ll have to move this back to my “wish list” and watch the finances…

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:46:03 +0000

Yes, it’s a great Laphroaig. In fact, I just bumped it up a point to 95 (classic status). I love it’s pungeant, old fashioned nature, combined with its maturity, and balance from the “appropriate” amount of sherry influence. It’s not the most complex whisky I have ever tasted, but very distinctive.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:39:54 +0000

I have tried it some time ago and wrote a pretentious review of it here: http://www.edinburghwhiskyblog.com/2009/03/17/laphroaig-25-yo-cask-strength/

I still claim it is the best whisky I have tasted so far. It’s spectacular. If any whisky is worth this kind of money, it certainly is this one.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:00:36 +0000

Red: ah yes, the good old days…

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:57:56 +0000

Butephoto: Hopefully the prices will eventually plateau–sooner than later. But I guess the really wealthy people don’t truly experience a recession. So, I don’t see the really high-end whiskies coming down in price any time soon.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:54:44 +0000

Very good inexpensive stand-by whiskies, Neil. You can’t do any wrong with those.

By: Neil Fusillo

Neil Fusillo — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:37:53 +0000

I think they can get away with it for a little while. Average people see that ’30′ year old label, and immediately equate that with quality, regardless of how good it actually may be or how much better (or worse) it is than a younger year.

They then read all the hype about how a fine whisky tends to be expensive (a descriptive, rather than prescriptive explanation, but few uneducated people distinguish the difference), and they think that price is normal.

The rarity factors into it to some degree, as does the exclusivity, and if the sales of travel-retail-only whiskies are any indication, people WILL pay extra for exclusivity.

And so, for the well-to-do person wanting something ‘special,’ the price might seem absolutely reasonable.

For those of us who are really into whisky, and may have a favourite that doesn’t command quite such a premium, it seems a little outrageous. But I don’t think it’s necessarily bad business sense quite yet.

However, if they keep pushing the prices up, the marketers will put off a lot of the people who made the expensive whiskies as popular as they are. With an ever-increasing number of brands out there, there’s bound to be something we’ll find that we like that doesn’t cost $500 a bottle. Or even $100 a bottle.

For me, my ‘inexpensive’ stand-by whiskies are things like a Balvenie double-wood, or a Jura Superstition, or an Ardbeg 10 year, or a Coal Ila 12. Whiskies I can truly enjoy without feeling like I’m skimping, but at a price that doesn’t make me afraid to drink them for fear that each glass HAS to get me its $30 worth or I’m somehow missing out.

By: butephoto

butephoto — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:12:57 +0000

The price of this shows exactly where the industry is going. I’m not sure they can keep putting the prices up on whiskies like this. Look at the price of Highland Park 18yo for comparison and you’ll see how ridiculous this bottling’s price is.

By: Red_Arremer

Red_Arremer — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:58:54 +0000

Only a few years ago, I could pick up a bottle of Laphroaig 30 and a bottle each of Longmorn 15, Compass Box Eleuthera, John Mcdougall’s Bladnoch 15 cask strength, and two bottles of Black Bottle 10 (all awesome, but no longer available expressions) and the total would still be less than is what is today being asked for a single bottle of cask strength Laphroaig 25.

It’s not just the Port Ellen’s– If you want value for money, picking through what’s left over of releases from previous years is a good way to go.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:11:39 +0000

Yes, grabbing up any available Port Ellen (when you can get it for a good price) seems like a good strategy. I did that a decade ago. I bought 11 & 12 year old Cadenhead’s Port Ellen back in the early 1990s (for about $50). I like young Islay whiskies, and young Port Ellens are long gone. But still, there’s opportunity to get good mature Port Ellens for a reasonable price.

By: Rich

Rich — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:04:34 +0000

Cary, from my perspective, i’d say the most important consideration is: Laphroaig fortunately will be with us for a very long time, but they’re not making any more Port Ellen. so if you only have $300 to spare at the moment, i might suggest you lean towards an OB Port Ellen. plus, they are wonderful bottlings; i never recommend a bottle simply because it’s rare.