The Laphroaig 18 Year was initially released in 2009 to replace the old 15 year. The spirits business being ever-changing, the 15 year came back as a special release to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary in 2015. We loved it. After only several years on the market, the 18 year was scuttled at the end of 2016 to make way for the reintroduction of the 15 year (again) as a yearly Friends-of-Laphroaig Cairdeas release. While it’s good to see Laphroaig still hanging on to age statements in the current marketplace, the further limiting of its aged stock means the aged offerings we do have available will be harder to find and, in all likelihood, more expensive. If you can find a bottle of the Laphroaig 18 Year, we heartily recommend you pick one up.
Kilchoman Winter 2010
Back in Kilchoman’s early days, less than a decade ago for those keeping count at home, the distillery would put out seasonal releases for lack of having anything steady and regular enough for what their Machir Bay later became. Kilchoman doesn’t do this biannual release anymore, having transitioned to a more stable (though still not completely stable) line up of offerings. This Winter 2010 release followed the Summer 2010 release and, unsurprisingly, neither are readily available now. Still not sure how we ended up with this one, other than it being dragged out of some dusty cellar after gathering cobwebs for a few years. Not complaining in the slightest, however.
Glenglassaugh Torfa
Like many distilleries, Glenglassaugh has seen its share of rough times. While operating almost continuously from 1875 until 1986, the distillery sat dormant until 2008, when it began production before being bought by BenRiach in 2013. Since the newest iteration hasn’t been around for very long at all, the current range is a mix of young No Age Statement offerings along with a few very old age statement whiskies laid down before it shuttered in the 80’s. Torfa is the Old Norse word for “peat,” so guess what hallowed element is used in the production of this dram? Despite being young, this scotch is no slouch, having placed silver at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in both 2014 and 2015.