It’s a gloomy and wintry weather here this week and the forecast for the weekend promise a real cold, rainy and snowy weekend around here. I guess it’s time to prepare with another peated dram, right?

Let’s get back to my favorite distillery and pick a 15 year old bottling by Signatory, bottled as part of their Un-chilfiltered Collection from  a refill sherry butt.

Laphroaig 15 yo (1998-2014) Signatory Vingtage Cask #700384 (46%, 797 bottles, €69.90)

Nose: Ahh, love that Laphroaig nose – Peat and soot, engine oil and BBQ coal, a bit of burnt matches, dry warm rubber boots. There’s the sherry impact with nutmeg, soaked raisins, sour berries.

Palate: Starts peaty and smoky, oak bitterness, grapefruit, nutmeg, sour sweet berries, very very dry.

Finish: Long finish with oak wood, espresso, bitterness of oak and chocolate , nutmeg, warming.

Thoughts: I love Laphroaig but I can’t say it’s good. There are too many moving parts here that just aren’t clicking together for me. It’s too dry with too little sherry impact and too much (relatively) harsh peat and wood impact. If you like your whisky (and Laphroaig) leaning toward the oak/wood side, then for 70 Euro it’s quite a nice deal.