Review #832 - SMWS 29.288 'Elegant Extravagance' - Laphroaig 27 Year

Another old Laphroaig which was full matured in a bourbon barrel: this is the 27 year old single cask named 'Elegant Extravagance.' The bourbon barrel in question is a second fill cask, so the wood influence should be more tempered compared to a first fill cask; still, we're expecting a decent oak character after close to 3 decades of aging.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottled this single malt at cask strength at the end of that maturation; 55.8%, to be exact, which is still quite strong for the age. Only 178 bottles were yielded by the cask.

SMWS 29.288 'Elegant Extravagance' - Laphroaig 27 Year

Scotland/Islay - Single Malt

Price: USD 995 (2023)

Age Statement: 27 Years

Strength: 55.8% ABV

Cask Makeup: Second fill ex-bourbon barrel

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled April 4, 1995; 178 bottles

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times (once blind) over 4 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Salty and savory, with oranges, creamy vanilla, charcoal and some peat. Fresh scallops and savory smoked meats combine with some musty or dank scents, but we also get old oak - polished, effervescent, perfumed. There's a hint of dark chocolate as well.

Palate: The mouthfeel is thick; this is rich and peaty, still quite smoky, with mineral and ash accents. Dark stone fruit like plum, buttery seafood, and some salted caramels come next; we get tart nectarine and a nice spirity character at times. There's decent sweetness despite the smoky side, and good depth overall.

Finish: Seared scallop, lots of brine and wood char, and the peat smoke takes on a softer influence. Tart lemon and lemongrass combine with red pepper flakes, wood spice, raisins and plums; it grows more rounded with time, and there's an accent of acidic stone fruit. It's a very long finish.

Final Note: Finally, an old Laphroaig that really tastes its age. The nose is especially fragrant with those perfumed oak notes, and the peat in the distillate has definitely mellowed over time; there's good complexity here, with a nice combination of light fruit, dark fruit, and savory flavor. This is a really excellent whisky, one to savor.

Value isn't so great, though, due to an astronomical price of about $1,000. We aren't sure any whisky is really worth that much - at least, we haven't tasted a bottle that we would pay $1,000 for - but for a cask strength Laphroaig nearing 30 years old, we aren't surprised by this price.

Our Rating: 9.3 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 3.71

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.

Check out our other Laphroaig reviews:

Review #831 - SMWS 29.278 'Savory Peat Smoke' - Laphroaig 26 Year

Review #830 - SMWS 29.285 'Fabulous Fusion' - Laphroaig 23 Year

Review #772 - Laphroaig Lore Re-Review

Review #760 - Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Review #630 - Single Cask Nation 'Williamson' (Laphroaig) 8 Year Single Cask

Review #555 - Laphroaig 10 Year

Review #529 - Laphroaig Cairdeas White Port and Madeira

Review #503 - Laphroaig Cairdeas Warehouse 1

Review #490 - Single Malts of Scotland Laphroaig 9 Year Single Cask

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