Taster

Nose: Big, seaweedy, medicinal, slightly sharp tang.

Palate: Firm, malty, grassy, with sweetness, spiciness and oily, olivey, bitterness.

Finish: A return to seaweed. Very appetising.

Comment: A distinctively Laphroaig-led blend, even though that distillery and this blend are now owned by separate companies.

Score: 8.5

Taster

Nose: A subtle and seductive mixture of peat and seaweed. Mellow grain thins this out backed by a salty background and compelling sweet malt.

Palate: The peat is dominant but checked by a complex fusion of sweet malt, salt and oak.

Finish: The soft peats cling to the roof of the mouth as toffee and coffee ensure a bitter-sweet finish.

Comment: Classic blended whisky which lets the grain maximise the complexity of peated Islay malts.

Score: 9