Signatory Vintage Unnamed Islay (Laphroaig) 28 Year (1992)

Scotch Whisky Review : Signatory Vintage Unnamed Islay (Laphroaig) 28 Year (1992)

Distillery: Unnamed Islay, believed to be Laphroaig.

Bottler: Signatory Vintage.

Region: Islay.

Age: 28 year. Distilled November 19, 1992. Bottles April 20, 2021.

ABV: 52.5% Cask Strength.

Cask Number: 6772.

Cask Type: Bourbon barrels.

Price: Part of an advent calendar curated by /u/federalagents, /u/dangerousdoorknob, and myself.

Color: 0.6, Old Gold.

Nose: This starts off with a strong combination of smokey, savory, and fatty – much like what you’d get from a really nice pork barbecue. After some time, the smoke does drift off leaving you with a rich, fatty pork along with a smoked white fish dip. Some fruity notes in the form of pineapple puree and some passionfruit come through along with a dash of honey.

Palate: This makes for really, really easy drinking even at full strength. Honey smoked fish is what comes to mind. I accidentally added a little more water than I intended to but it seems to have worked out alright. It brings out a rather refreshing and palate cleansing bitter tea note, which does a lot to cut through how rich and fatty it comes across. The bitter tea note reminds me a lot of green tea but a lot less herbaceous.

Finish: Medium in length. Some burnt herbs and more of the honey smoked fish.

Conclusion: It’s been a little bit since I’ve had any Laphroaig and this totally not Laphroaig bottled by Signatory Vintage was a pretty great way to get back into the distillery. The nose is beyond fantastic here. The combination of smokey, savory, and fatty along with some sweeter fruit and honey notes makes for a really good time. It brings a much needed bit of complexity beyond big caveman smoke and I’m left reminded a lot of a distillery handfill I’ve had. The continues on with a nice combination of savory maritime notes and some really refreshing bitter ones which continues into the finish. Overall, really tasty and pleased to have had this one.

Rating: 84.

Scotch Whisky Review , Islay Review , Whisky Network Review

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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