Laphroaig 10 Year Old, Pre Royal Warrant 1990’s 40% 75cl

Colour: Deep gold.

Nose: Wow! A superbly fruity one, straight away on pineapple, guava, passion fruit and mango mixed with tar liqueur and brine. Some sweet old herbal liqueurs, pomegranate molasses and a hint of grassy olive oil and various typical notes of mineral oil, cough medicine and softy sooty touches. Classical and brilliant.

Mouth: This is really as good and as big as whisky can get at 40%. Tropical fruit salad mixed with soot, lemon infused olive oil, dried herbs, wet beach pebbles and seawater. This wonderfully meandering path that runs between fruits, coastal mineral inflections and hints of the farmyard.

Finish: Full of lemon jelly, mineral salts, kipper smoke and hints of smoky bacon, passion fruit cordial and sheep wool.

Comments: Little wonder these bottles are so coveted these days, the phrase ‘pure class’ springs to mind.