I am a big fan of Laphroaig; It is the smokiest, peatiest(sp?) malt I've tried so far. But I'm curious if there's anything else even stronger out there?
I've tried many, but this is my favorite malt so far.
Ster
If yer talkin' about higher abv, check out a cask strength, like Aberlour a'bunadh.
If yer talkin' about a smokier flavor, keep in mind that it's not just the strength of the peat flavor that makes it good.
Look at some of the capsicum re-enforced hot sauces for proof. They'll burn yer face off, but don't have an otherwise well-balanced flavor.
That being said, check out Ardbeg 10 and Bowmore 17. The Ardbeg is bold, Bowmore more subtle but very nice. YMMV I like Laphroaig, too!
Slainte!
Try Lagavulin 16yo
/Nygaard
I have tried Lagavulin and it's great, but it's just not as peaty as Laphroaig. I find that alcohol strength is less important to me than the big, smoky flavor.
Taking a moment's reflection, stereophonic mused: | | I have tried Lagavulin and it's great, but it's just not as peaty as | Laphroaig. I find that alcohol strength is less important to me than | the big, smoky flavor.
Hmm. Having had both, I wouldn't characterize Laphroaig as being peater than Lagavulin.
My Source is Andrew Jeffords "Peat Smoke and Spirit" and absolute must buy for everyone interested in whisky generally and Islay especially
The normal way to give peat strength is ppm (parts per million) and the measurements is normally given for the smoked barley malt. For Talisker that's 25 ppm according to Jim Murray's Complete book of whisky
On Islay Jefford also gives you the content of the new make in addition - which is lower
Ardbeg 54ppm/16-17ppm (from 1998 23-24ppm) Bowmore 25ppm/8-10ppm Bruichladdich 3-4ppm/trace (The malt was 8-10ppm in 2001 but they lowered it again) Port Charlotte 40ppm/20-25ppm Octomore 2002 68ppm/30ppm Octomore 2003 129ppm/46ppm Bunnahabhain 2ppm/trace Bunnahabhain new peaty version 38ppm/? Caol Ila 35ppm/12-13ppm Lagavulin 35ppm/16-18ppm Laphroaig 40(43 own malt)/25ppm Port Ellen was also made on 35ppm. "Also" because of the other Diageo malts. In fact Caol Ila and Lagavulin is made from identical malt specifikations
Talisker is comparable to Bowmore which makes sense to me after having tasted both kinds of malt. Apart from that their peatiness seems different. Maybe different kinds of phenols due to productionmethods. I usually imagine the production as a phenol filter and the "filters" being different from one distillery to another giving you a diiferent mix AND concentration of phenols
The older a whisky gets the less peaty it is
Laphroaig 10y and 15y is 8-10ppm, 30y is 6 ppm !!
Steffen
The NC ABC stores just started carrying Lag 16 and I bought a bottle to give to my wife on StV day.
Can't wait to help her try it. Awfully pricey though. Seventy-some-odd dollars. Hope it's good. We have not had any Lag here for quite some months (years?)and I would've taken any expression they had.
chuck
And the price increases dramatically.
My mantra:
Ardbeg 10 at $29.99 Ardbeg 10 at $29.99 Ardbeg 10 at $29.99 wait--o.k.!--Bowmore 12 at $22.99 Ardbeg 10 at $29.99 Ardbeg 10 at $29.99 wait--o.k.!--Bowmore 12 at $22.99 wait--o.k.!--Bowmore 12 at $22.99 Ardbeg 10 at $29.99
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