“Smells Like Sweaty Teen Spirit”
Whisky Review # 1073
Country: Scotland 🏴
Region: Islay
Brand: Laphroaig Sherry Oak Finish
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48 %
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Oloroso Sherry European Oak Finish
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-75 (November 2025)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Oloroso Sherry European Oak Finish
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-75 (November 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Perhaps a bit too expensive
Buying Advice: 😐 I prefer the regular 10 but in any case do try to find a sample first before buying a full bottle
Colour:
Dark Reddish Brown with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)
Nose:
The Peaty and Medicinal aspects of Laphroaig are still there of course but they are substantially softened by the Sherry Finish. That makes it more approachable but it also affects the distillery profile. Perhaps a shorter Finish or less active Sherry casks would have been more appropriate. I also get a light off-note that I can't exactly define. It's a weird mix of Rubber, Metal and Sweat. I also find the Nose on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV for this expression. That's a bit odd. In any case I advise you to give this Laphroaig enough time in the glass before you start Nosing. Certainly not my favorite Laphroaig nose though.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Caramel, Molasses, Soft Coastal Peat, Salt Water, Burning Embers, Hospital, Iodine, Tar, Ashes, Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Dark Berries & Cherries, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Plums, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ with a sprinkle of Citrus & Herbs, Leather, Metal, Cars Burning their Tyres on the Asphalt & Cloves.
Buying Advice: 😐 I prefer the regular 10 but in any case do try to find a sample first before buying a full bottle
Colour:
Dark Reddish Brown with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)
Nose:
The Peaty and Medicinal aspects of Laphroaig are still there of course but they are substantially softened by the Sherry Finish. That makes it more approachable but it also affects the distillery profile. Perhaps a shorter Finish or less active Sherry casks would have been more appropriate. I also get a light off-note that I can't exactly define. It's a weird mix of Rubber, Metal and Sweat. I also find the Nose on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV for this expression. That's a bit odd. In any case I advise you to give this Laphroaig enough time in the glass before you start Nosing. Certainly not my favorite Laphroaig nose though.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Caramel, Molasses, Soft Coastal Peat, Salt Water, Burning Embers, Hospital, Iodine, Tar, Ashes, Dark Chocolate, Nuts, Dark Berries & Cherries, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Plums, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ with a sprinkle of Citrus & Herbs, Leather, Metal, Cars Burning their Tyres on the Asphalt & Cloves.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Honey, Plastic, Rubber, PVC Pipes, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Licorice, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Espresso and Bitter Oranges.
Palate:
It does not happen a lot but I like the Palate more in this case. It's a nice balance between the various casks and the distillery character. I find some additional Sour notes and they combine well with the Sherry Sweetness and the Peaty and Herbal spirit. My favorite part of this expression. It does get a bit dry at this point.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Soft Coastal Peat, Cigar Smoke, Ashes, Tar, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Dark Berries and Cherries, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Dark Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Prunes, Leather, Pepper, Licorice and Nutmeg.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Vanilla, Molasses, Wax, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cocoa Powder, Dark Espresso, Hospital, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Cloves, Aniseed, Rubber, Metal, Bitter Orange and Spiced Sweet & Hot Red Wine.
Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Soft Coastal Peat, Cigar Smoke, Ashes, Tar, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Dark Berries and Cherries, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Dark Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Prunes, Leather, Pepper, Licorice and Nutmeg.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Vanilla, Molasses, Wax, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cocoa Powder, Dark Espresso, Hospital, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Cloves, Aniseed, Rubber, Metal, Bitter Orange and Spiced Sweet & Hot Red Wine.
Finish:
The Finish is on the Short side and a bit Thin as well. After the Palate I was hoping for more here. It's rather Dry and a little on the Bitter or Tannic side. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Espresso, Soft Peat, Smoking Embers, Iodine, Salt Water, Hospital, Iodine, Ashes, Bitter Burning Herbs, Dark Berries and Cherries, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Wet Stones and Clay, Rubber, Plastic, Metal, Licorice, Leather, Tobacco, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Aniseed.
The Finish is on the Short side and a bit Thin as well. After the Palate I was hoping for more here. It's rather Dry and a little on the Bitter or Tannic side. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Nuts, Espresso, Soft Peat, Smoking Embers, Iodine, Salt Water, Hospital, Iodine, Ashes, Bitter Burning Herbs, Dark Berries and Cherries, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Wet Stones and Clay, Rubber, Plastic, Metal, Licorice, Leather, Tobacco, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Aniseed.
Drinking Advice:
No need to add Water to this Laphroaig but it does calm down the Nose a bit. So please try it both ways.
Rating: 7 (*******)
Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6.5
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Conclusion:
Laphroaig is located a few miles outside Port Ellen on the island of Islay and was founded in 1815 by Alexander & Donald Johnston. It was bought by Beam Suntory in 2014. Since, the distillery has launched a number of NAS Whiskies that received mixed critics. I find this a pity as I used to consider Laphroaig one of my favorite distilleries. The 10, the discontinued 18 and the old 15 Years are some of my all time favorites. I also love to visit the place and the people. The annual production currently amounts to 2.9 million litres but will be expanded to around 4.8 million of which 70% is destined to be bottled as Single Malt. The core range consists of Oak Select, the 10, the 10 CS, the 10 with Sherry Oak Finish that I'm reviewing today, the Quarter Cask, Lore and a 25 years CS. The Travel Retail Range includes The Four Oak, Cask Legacy, Port Wood and PX Cask.
The Sherry Oak Finish was released 2021. Laphroaig and Sherry can be good pals but the Sherry influence should be discrete in my opinion. In this case however the Sherry tends to overpower the Spirit and that's not a good thing as far as I'm concerned. It makes this Laphroaig easier to drink for beginners but the distillery character gets somewhat lost in this way and that's a pity. It could be I'm having a bad day at the Whisky office but there's a weird aspect to the Nose. Smells Like Teen Spirit was the first song that came to my mind but in a Sweaty way. All in all a bit of a mixed bag this Laphroaig. Good in places, strange in others. Better try a sample first before buying a full bottle.
Cheers! 🥃
Jan van den Ende November 17, 2025
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