Laphroaig med Vicky Stevens
Vi hade nöjet att välkomna vår andra skotska provningsledare på kort tid och det blev som väntat kanonbra. Provningsledaren Vicky Stevens har ju rykte om sig att vara väldigt duktig så vi hade ganska höga förväntningar men hon var faktiskt ännu bättre än förväntat! Vicky körde helt utan PowerPoint och bjöd verkligen på sig själv och delade med sig av sina ingående kunskaper i whisky-tillverkning. Hon kom med många praktiska små tips hur man bäst provar whisky. Jätteintressant! Vi fick flera spontana kommentarer efter provningen om hur bra det var och hur mycket man hade lärt sig.
Kort om provningsledaren:
Vicky Stevens började arbeta på Laphroaig 2008, efter att ha flyttat till Islay från Speyside. Hon startade på företaget som ansvarig för Laphroaigs ”Visitor Centre” och har därefter gått vidare till att arbeta som mycket stolt och omtyckt ambassadör för Laphroaig världen över. Hon håller i master classes och närvarar ofta vid speciella events.
Här är whiskyn vi provade med smaknoteringar av Vicky Stevens och betyg av deltagarna:
- Laphroaig 18 Years (48%, nr 473, 689 kr) – Betyg 85 p.
Colour: Bright Gold
Nose: At bottling strength a soft toffee sweet, faintly spicy flavour counterbalances the trace of delicate phenols and fruit but bringing them all together is an all encompassing smoothness. Adding a touch of water allows the seaweed and salt to come through but not enough to overpower the vanilla and honey sweetness with just a trace of new mown hay and peat at the finish.
Body: An intense depth that is exceptionally balanced and warming
Taste: An instant warming tang of smoke that fades into smooth floral scents and blends seamlessly into an oaky nuttiness and leaves a lasting sweetness on the taste. With a touch of water the peaty warmth fills the mouth but does not overshadow the sweet chocolate smoothness. This is balanced by the rich toffee taste and slowly fades into a delicate hint of heather and peat smoke.
Finish: Full bodied, long with a luxurious oily smoothness.
- Laphroaig Cask Strength 25 Years (48.6%, nr 85612, 2999 kr) – Betyg 84 p.
Colour: Burnished yellow gold
Nose: At cask strength there is a rich, sweet aroma of crushed grapes and heather flowers but always in the background is the distinctive tang of peat with just a trace of pear drops. Adding a drop of water starts the release all the many other different flavours starting with a slightly sweet sherry fruitiness that then develops into the smooth fruit ripeness of pears and red apples with a pleasant tang of new mown hay that progress into the gentle Laphroaig peat tang of Islay.
Body: An immense multilayered complexity
Palate: Without a touch of water the sherry and spicy apple covers the peaty liquorice tang which then slowly fills the. With a touch of water the gentle softness of age comes through and then little by little do all the other fruit, spice and peat flavours fill the mouth.
Finish: Very long and slightly dry with a nice peat finish.
- Laphroaig Quarter Cask (48%, nr 10497, 455 kr) – Betyg 85 p.
Colour: Sparkling Gold
Nose: Initial burst of peat smoke that is complemented by a smooth, velvety, coconut cream flavour.
Taste: An intensely powerful, sparkling peat flavour allied with a gentle creaminess.
Mouthfeel: A mouth enveloping intensity of flavour that is quite astounding.
Finish: Incredibly long and dry.
At bottling strength the nose has a creamy, zesty orange flavour with a gentle peated tang. This whisky is truly “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” that is another unique example of a Laphroaig expression.
- Laphroaig Triple Wood (48%, privat import, ca. 535 kr) – Betyg 89 p.
Colour: Bright gold.
Nose: at 48% straight from the bottle the initial flavour is quite sweet with a gentle mixture of sweet raisins and creamy apricots with just a trace of the dry peat smoke at the back, the smoother nutty flavours combine all these flavours into one smooth, syrupy whole. With a touch of water the peat smoke comes to the fore and masks the gentler fruitier notes. Even with the maturation being carried out in 1st fill bourbons, quarter casks and sherry butts cannot mask the intense bonfire ash smell of the earthy peat.
Body: Powerful yet with a creamy consistency.
Palate: Again with no water there is a large initial burst of peat belies the slight lack on the nose but is gentled on the tongue by the creamier flavours of vanilla and fruit with just a suggestion of sherry. With a trace of water the peat reek is gentled allowing the more complex flavours of citrus fruits and spices to come through with the slight tang coming from the European Oak balancing the creamier American White Oak.
Finish: Mouth filling and extremely long but balanced by the sweet smooth caramel taste.
- Laphroaig Cairdeas Origin (51,2%, nr 97059, 749 kr) – Betyg 87 p.
Nose: With a nose that constantly evolves and is full of flavour Cairdeas Origin begins with a quick hint of concentrated orange moving quickly into huge peat flavours, ashy , dusty with hazelnut. It becomes crisp and fresh with cold green apples, grapes and finishing with a fresh cut grassy flavour.
Palate: The flavours evolve slowly on the palate and with great body it begins with white pepper moving into an earthy peaty flavour, some slight salt then purple heather. Huge creamy apricots that last and last and it ends with some charred damp wood.
- Laphroaig Cask Strength 10 Years (55.3%, nr 85393, 549 kr) – Betyg 85 p.
Colour: Rich deep gold
Nose: Very powerful, “medicine”, smoke, seaweed and ozone characters overlaying a sweetness.
Body: Full and strong.
Palate: A massive peated flavour with a hint of sweetness at the end.
Finish: Long and savoury.
Omröstningen om kvällens bästa whisky vanns av Laphroaig Triple Wood. Provningen som helhet fick betyget 4 p av 4 p och provningsledaren fick 4 p av 4 p.
Provningsledare: Vicky Stevens från Laphroaig.
Datum: 2012-11-18
Tid: 16:00
Plats: Sankt Olof Hotell & Krog
Pris för medlemmar: 275 kr
Pris för medlemmars gäster: 275 kr + 150 kr OBS! ingen extraavgift för gäster.
Antal deltagare: 35
I anslutning till provningen erbjöd Sankt Olof Hotell & Krog:
* Kalvytterfilé med råstekt purjolökspotatis och rosépepparsås inkl. ett glas vin eller en starköl 169 kr
* Mat inkl. alkoholfri dryck 149 kr
* Boende i enkelrum 490 kr
* Del i dubbelrum 390 kr