Laphroaig Quarter Cask.....Not So Sure About It

[nitehawk55]

Well this is my first venture into the land of Islay and to be honest I was not looking forward to it as I had read it would be different in what would probably be a bad way and it is , I'm not liking it much .

Very medicine like taste and I've cut it a bit with spring water and even some ice but it's way different than my H-P 12 yo .

I'll give it a few more tries but to be honest I don't think it's going to grow on me

First time posting and it was because I bought this bottle at random and was loving it. Funny how the taste buds can be so different.

[BourbonDrinker]

Well I applaud you for wanting to expand your palate. You certainly went "all in" with a bottle of Laphroaig Qtr Cask. Let it rest for a few days and go back to give it another go. I used to dislike peated whisky, now I really enjoy it. Keep it in the back of the cabinet for a cold rainy night.
Beyond the obvious peat and iodine, see what else you can dig out of there. I find it quite sweet and malty underneath, and of course I love the briney sea notes. There's a lot going on in there in the background.

[jwise]

I concur with the Etherman. I applaud your adventurous spirit, and encourage you to keep the bottle (but maybe at the back!) Go back to it in a few weeks, a few months, or perhaps a year. You might find it strangely appealing, or downright delicious! If you aren't enjoying by the end of this next year, then I guess you could just send it to me...

[nitehawk55]

Thanks fellows . I sort of got this half knowing it would not be to my liking (from reading other impressions ) as I'm not a long term seasoned Scotch drinker and have not tried an Islay Whisky till now .
Iodine and medicine taste are pretty much how it tastes to me at this point so I'll keep trying it from time to time and see if my tastebuds say different .

I don't know how you find any "sweetness" in there , the peat is there but that's about all I'm getting from it .

Good for snake bite I expect

[jwise]

Eat some aged gouda, then taste it. It has a way of brining out the fruity character of whiskies. At least, that's been my experience!

[BourbonDrinker]

Originally Posted by nitehawk55

Thanks fellows . I sort of got this half knowing it would not be to my liking (from reading other impressions ) as I'm not a long term seasoned Scotch drinker and have not tried an Islay Whisky till now .
Iodine and medicine taste are pretty much how it tastes to me at this point so I'll keep trying it from time to time and see if my tastebuds say different .

I don't know how you find any "sweetness" in there , the peat is there but that's about all I'm getting from it .

Good for snake bite I expect

Take an oz, add a few drops of water and let it rest with a cover on for 10 min or so. Than really take your time picking it apart. Once you get over the smoke and peat and spicy heat, you'll start to get more. And I'm not referring to iodine and brine.
You'll see. Try some more mild peated whisky, they don't all have the medicinal properties that turn so many off. You might like the peaty flavor when it's more integrated. How about The Balvenie 17yr Peated Cask. It's the classic Balvenie profile with a whisper of peat on the nose and palate. It's really nice.

[nitehawk55]

Thanks for the advice fellows , I'll not give up too easy .

Have not tried cheese , chocolate or others when tasting Whisky but I do like old Gouda , actually the spiced is my favourite

I did try the Laphroaig again and I let it sit for a bit with some ice (yes I know...BLASPHAMY !) I took my time with it and while the first taste was a bit harsh on the second I concentrated and tasted other flavours in it which overcame the medicine taste and to be honest I did somewhat enjoy it this go around , I actually did get some sweetness and spices . I also used my nose more this time and it found new aromas , this is something along with the tasting I really have to start learning .

I think with it being a cask strength one has to ease into it so I'll keep trying it reducing the ice and switching to just a bit less water too . I thing this will allow me to taste it better and the objectional side of it not overpower the good

I'm a Whisky novice , it's a learning experience each time I try a new Whisky
which is half the fun

[HP12]

Hi Nighthawk,

I'm new to this SMSW journey too and loving every sip. Highland Park 12 is my early benchmark for peat and malt. I see you like it as well. Try having a dram of HP12 with fresh baked Toll House chocolate chip cookie(s)...wow, a party in the mouth! Oatmeal raisin works pretty well too.

[nitehawk55]

A party in my mouth....hahahaha , well that would be pretty cool

I'm betting Jojo would try that too , I know she has mentioned that she likes chocolate with Scotch .

I'll have to try that HP12 , and yes , H-P 12yo is my favourite so far but I have many more to try . A professor and friend who is at the university I work at tried the HP12 a few weeks back and it blew him away , he thought it was excellent .

I bought my first bottle of the Laphroaig QC last weekend. I hadn't had an opportunity to try it first, but went all in. I've only been partial to single malts for the last six months. It took most of those months to navigate through Speyside and Highland until I could appreciate and enjoy Islay. I was initially partial to Speyside malts, but now I am starting to prefer malts from Highland and Islay more than Speyside. Setting that aside, I quite like this one and find it sweeter than the Lapgroaig 10. I prefer it with a few drops of water. I second the sentiments of others here, try it again after a couple of months. My tastes have changed drastically in six months.

[drammerjon]

Nitehawk,

Going with the Quarter Cask for your first venture into an Islay malt is definitely going all in. Not all peated whiskies will have that medicinal taste, but many Islays will as this is a typical feature of Islay whiskies; especially younger Islays. The Quarter Cask is not aged for a long period of time because it draws flavors much more quickly from the smaller cask (the cask it is aged in is literally one fourth the size of a normal cask; hence the name). Its good to know you're not giving up and trying it different ways in order to enjoy the whisky (even if you added ice).

Personally, the first time I tried the Quarter Cask, I did not enjoy it too much. I had it again last week and to my surprise, I enjoyed it very much.

Keep drammin!

[BourbonDrinker]

Don't be surprised if you try a whisky and don't love it right out of the bottle. I've had many where I was initially disappointed and went back a week or two later and enjoyed it tremendously. I think it has to do with meeting subconscious expectations from reading other's reviews. It's possible something happens after it is opened, slight oxygenation, etc., but I think it's in my head.

[HP12]

Well, what a coincidence, my wife has surprised me with a bottle of Laphroaig 10. Initially I was looking for cask strength but where she was had limited expressions. Although she was going to get me a Lagavulin 16 (which they didn't have), I figured this will be a good intro as I journey into Islay.

Can anyone explain the differences between Laphroaig 10, quarter cask and cask strength? Other than ABV diffs, what are the nuances between them? At some point I will likely get a bottle of cask strength and do a side-by-side taste test with the Laphr 10.

Unless there is a large difference between the 3 Laphroaig expressions, I'll plan for my next peat monster to be the Laga 16. Your thoughts? TIA!

I would never, repeat never, offer an Islay, let alone Laphroig, to a new Scotch drinker. That's like giving Guinness to new beer drinker.

Laphroig is the most extreme example of a peaty, medicinal, Islay. It is no wonder that new Scotch drinkers would find it difficult to appreciate.

The 10 y.o. is the most medicinal and peaty. To understand the Quarter Cask you have to go back to the old days when the whiskey was transported by horse and dray. The large vats were too big to be hauled over hill and dale so they used smaller casks about a quarter the size of the vats, hence the name. The whiskey would slosh these casks as it was transported and this contact with the oak brought a richer, mellow character to the whiskey, a "sweeter" note if you will.

To understand this concept of sweet in whiskey think of people who are drinking beer for the first time. To them all beer is bitter so they would not be able to differentiate between beer that is hoppy and those that are "sweet".

Anyway, I wish you all the best in your journey throught the world of single malt whiskeys.

Cheers..................Mahmoud. (Edmonton)

[nitehawk55]

Thanks Mahmoud , some interesting info .

Scotch is in fact sort of like beer as it is made from barley .

I'm going to have some tonight again , I'm feeling brave

[San Francisco]

The quarter cask exposes more of the liquid to the wood so it ages faster and gives it a nice sweetness.

[HP12]

Thanks for everyone's take on the Laph QC. Just had my first taste of Laph 10 early this week and LOVED it!

Can't wait to get a bottle of Laph QC to do a side-by-side 10 tasting...if the 10 will last long enough before I buy the QC. I better hurry and spring for it!

[Soundmangt4]

The first time I tried Laphroaig or Lagavulin 16 I thought they were horrible and medicinal, tasting of TCP. Yet after a small period of enjoying other single malts, especially a lot of Talisker, when I returned to both whiskies they was no hint of medicine, just glorious smokey wonderfulness!
It is amazing how your taste buds and palette can change over a small period!

[HP12]

Funny how the palette works. So, my brother-in-law has recently hopped on the SMSW band wagon via an initiation by HP12. He QUICKLY gravitated towards the peat monsters.

His first bottle purchased of SMSW was Singleton (not knowing what he liked) and thought it was rather easy/mellow. Taste tested at my house HP12...his favorite so far.

We go to a bar with a good Scotch selection, he try's the Talisker 10 AND a Lagavulin 16 and declares "he's in love".

We exit the bar and head to the nearest liquor store where he promptly buys a Laphroaig 10. He's all in! Nice!

[Superdan138]

I just had a wonderful wonderful night last night drinking Laphroaig 18 yo and it was near perfection, even though I have Laphroaig 30 and Talisker 30 and some other nice Ardbegs. Right before I opened my Laphroaig 18 bottle, I was going to try some Laphroaig Quarter Cask and to my surprise the cork broke. Does anyone have an extra Laphroaig cork lying around that they could send my way? PM if you do...thanks!

-Daniel

[nitehawk55]

Bit of an update ( while I'm enjoying this whisky ) , I'm now taking it straight up , no ice or water . I put some in a glass and let it sit for a bit . Before I take my 1st sip I allow it to fill my nose and mouth with it's smokey sweetness with some of the medicine present . My 1st taste takes some adjustment and I hold it in my mouth for a bit and let it wash down slowly . That 1st sip opens up all my taste and smell and on the 2nd I now get that smokey sweetness that really shines and it goes down warm and smooth with a fairly long finish . I no longer taste the medicine after the 1st sip !

Yeah , you could say I've grown to like it

[h_curtis]

I don't think there is a need or any prestige in forcing oneself to like any whisky including one like Laphroaig. When I first tried it many years ago and in my earlier days of finding an appreciation of whisky, I didn't care for it. After many years of drinking many different singles, I had a taste of Talisker and found it to my liking. That of course lead me down the road to tasting many Islay malts and at last to try Laphroaig once again. To my surprise I gravitated to it and find it is quite high on my list. Now, to reenforce my thought of not forcing yourself to like any whisky, my father who at sometimes has over 30 bottles of single laying about, has no use for Laphroaig. He drinks what he likes and that is that. You may like one style or may not. It is great everyone has different tastes.

[nitehawk55]

Forcing myself was not my intention , it was more like educating myself to appreciate something different .

[HP12]

Originally Posted by nitehawk55

Forcing myself was not my intention , it was more like educating myself to appreciate something different .

Touche...well said, well defined. As with anything in life, how can we grow unless we stretch outside of our paradigm(s)!?

[BourbonDrinker]

Originally Posted by nitehawk55

Bit of an update ( while I'm enjoying this whisky ) , I'm now taking it straight up , no ice or water . I put some in a glass and let it sit for a bit . Before I take my 1st sip I allow it to fill my nose and mouth with it's smokey sweetness with some of the medicine present . My 1st taste takes some adjustment and I hold it in my mouth for a bit and let it wash down slowly . That 1st sip opens up all my taste and smell and on the 2nd I now get that smokey sweetness that really shines and it goes down warm and smooth with a fairly long finish . I no longer taste the medicine after the 1st sip !

Yeah , you could say I've grown to like it

And you thought I was crazy when I said it was malty sweet under all that peat and iodine.

[nitehawk55]

Originally Posted by TheEtherMan

And you thought I was crazy when I said it was malty sweet under all that peat and iodine.

Honestly I did Brian but it was there just like you said

[h_curtis]

Originally Posted by nitehawk55

Forcing myself was not my intention , it was more like educating myself to appreciate something different .

My point was, not everyone likes Islay whisky and if you don't it means nothing.

[Jojo]

Although not a huge Islay fan myself - I liked Laphroaig Quarter Cask from the very first try. I noticed that sweetness right off the bat - and was really impressed. Thanks for all of your input here everyone - I really enjoy hearing what all of you have to say!

And BTW nighthawk - when you say, "I'm betting Jojo would try that too, I know she has mentioned that she likes chocolate with Scotch." - you are absolutely right!

[StuporStar]

Originally Posted by Wine&Scotch

I would never, repeat never, offer an Islay, let alone Laphroig, to a new Scotch drinker. That's like giving Guinness to new beer drinker.

Laphroaig is the most extreme example of a peaty, medicinal, Islay. It is no wonder that new Scotch drinkers would find it difficult to appreciate.

The 10 y.o. is the most medicinal and peaty. To understand the Quarter Cask you have to go back to the old days when the whiskey was transported by horse and dray. The large vats were too big to be hauled over hill and dale so they used smaller casks about a quarter the size of the vats, hence the name. The whiskey would slosh these casks as it was transported and this contact with the oak brought a richer, mellow character to the whiskey, a "sweeter" note if you will.

To understand this concept of sweet in whiskey think of people who are drinking beer for the first time. To them all beer is bitter so they would not be able to differentiate between beer that is hoppy and those that are "sweet".

Anyway, I wish you all the best in your journey throught the world of single malt whiskeys.

Cheers..................Mahmoud. (Edmonton)

The 'quarter-cask' is now used to more or less 'speed age' malts. The idea being that more of the whiskey,less actual fluid in a sealed cask, comes into contact with the wood, overall making an 8y/o single malt seemingly take on the complexities of a 10-12 y/o that was aged in bigger liquid volume. An example of the pinnacle of 'make your eyes water' peat, in my opinion, would be Ardbeg 10y/o (as an easily available option). you could say it's the final stop on the peat journey, both figuratively and literally.

To the Original Poster: I hope you have found some comfort with that bottle and are winning the peat war. I find the island distilleries have a lasting quality with the taste, I feel satisfied as if after a big meal. As a previous poster mentioned adding a few drops of water may calm it a bit as 48% alc. is quite strong. I'm not sure what type of glass you are drinking it out of, but I would recommend letting your pour sit a good while to mellow, I have found some of the heavy smoke qualities from the nose alone can produce some added gag if not left to aerate for at least a few minutes. The water should make the nose a little less sharp and smokey and if air gets to it you may find those elusive nutty flavors and enjoy the long salty finish.

[dirtysnkrs]

Big fan here of laph 10 and lagavulin 16. saw the quarter cask at scottish store up in san francisco that exclusively carries scotch whisky. what a selection!

Anyway, would try tonite but its hotter than hell for this time of year in LA and i dont have AC. For some reason, islays dont seem like the best hot weather scotch.

itchin to try it, supposed to be cooler tomorrow. will sample it and also compare side by side to the others i mentioned above, then post my reaction. cant wait!

[blenderm]

Just to clear up a misconception about the use of 1/4 casks, they allow 30% more contact with wood than barrels and this changes the maturation, IT DOESN'T SPEED IT UP, if it did everyone would be using them. What happens is that there is an infusion of wood extractives that alter the flavour into another style, which is what every single malt distillery wants. To speed up maturation you need this extraction plus oxygenation [i.e. contact with air] and there's no way that you can speed this up in 1/4 casks. I talked with a blender about 2 years ago who had run a trial to see if the speed up of maturation happens and in his words " it doesn't" and he was somewhat disappointed.

[Dale]

Blenderm hit the nail on the head about aging. The smaller cask size changes the spirit in a different way than a larger cask but by no means changes the speed with which a spirit ages. Aside from historical transport by mule and cart as was noted earlier, Laphroaig's foray with the 1/4 cask was a designed "experiment" to try and support a growing demand for Laphroaig beyond what their stocks allow to support keeping older expressions on store shelves. The hope was that they could get some of their younger spirit to drink similar to their older expressions by altering it with different wood and cask size strategies while they ramped up production to meet the shift in demand. I'm paraphrasing here but this is what John Campbell, Laphroaig's Distillery Manager, told me last November when I last got together with him.

Where they were a little disappointed with the results, there is no doubt they've created something many people enjoy. Afterall, Laphroaig makes a great spirit and pays a lot of attention to detail.

For me, the tricks with heavily peated whiskies which show loads of iodine and medicinal characters is either age or understanding and improving one's nosing skill. With age, the iodine and medicinal characters tend to be tamed and the fruitiness and floral notes more easily show through. It is one reason a Laphroaig 30 isn't as appealing to many who love Laphroaig 10 - they love the more prominent iodine and medicinal in the 10 (not to mention its $55-60 price) compared to the tamer 30 (with its $500+ price). Of course, not every distiller's spirit ages gracefully, and we all know (or should) that older isn't necessarily better. There are many distillers whose younger expressions I prefer to their older ones.

As for nosing, one of the things I strongly recommend for the avid whisky nut is a set of Glencairn glasses. They are designed for assessment of spirit, namely single malt whisky, and are one of the tools of the trade. Having a set of nosing glasses allows the taster to better compare whiskies because the aromas are similarly focused to the nose and taster's olfactory senses so comparison is more easily made than using glasses of various shape and/or wide rims.

This is easily understood by pouring a few drams of the same whisky. Take three drams of 1/4 cask, leave one dram untouched, put a few drops of distilled water in another, and an ice cube made from the same distilled water in another. Then nose, don't taste, each dram and find the differences. The reason I say distilled water and not spring is because spring water does maintain flavor compounds and minutely (though sometimes obviously) changes a whisky from its bottled form because of those compounds. Thus, what the average taster is recognizing as the difference is the water and not the spirit. Further, most taster's ice (if they drink it this way) is made from tap water (including a lot of store-bought ice) which often contains fluoride and chlorine compounds - which is totally detrimental! The most obvious thing ice does is change the temperature of the whisky; the thing to learn here is that the temperature of the whisky greatly affects its aromatics, as well as its taste.

As we have millions more olfactory senses in our noses than we have working taste receptors on our taste buds, it is easily understandable (if you work at training our nose) that we decipher more with our nose than with our palate, and that what we smell affects what our palate tastes. Try plugging your nose and tasting the 1/4 cask (keeping it plugged for a minute or so after swallowing) and I guarantee you will notice less on your palate than you do with you nose unobstructed.

One of the interesting things about nosing whisky compared to wine is that what we smell in wine is very infrequently what we taste. You might get cassis from the nose of a cabernet, but you rarely taste it. Whereas what we smell with in whisky does show on the palate. You get the iodine component on many Islay whiskies and you also taste that character.

Another important concept in nosing is habituation. We get use to major influences and after a short time our brains start to ignore them and move onto lesser influences. For example, people who keep dogs in their home get used to the smell of their dog in their house. And when their spouse is cooking a full Scottish breakfast with bangers, haggis, smoked haddock, fried tomato et al, all they notice is the glorious aroma emanating from the kitchen. If we're invited for breakfast, we'll smell the breakfast and the dog. Eventually we get used to the aromas of both and then notice their cat. Another example is how nonsmokers perceive tobacco smoke and it is not noticed by smokers. This is habituation.

So, when faced with a whisky you find has unappealing aromatic characters, continuing to nose the whisky, literally keeping you nose in the glass and smelling continually until your brain starts to ignore the major aromatic congeners in the whisky, will eventually allow you to uncover the whisky's more hidden treasures - hopefully ones you'll enjoy. With this level of olfactory training, you will get to a point where you can turn off the major congener influences quite quickly and uncover those more deeply routed influences you enjoy. The same applies to a whisky you love, if you want to uncover more about it than the major influences you find inspiring.

Finally, there are Islay whiskies without heavily peated, iodine and medicinal tones. Until recently, Bunnahabhain didn't peat their malt and any sense of peat came from their water. Additionally, their iodine and medicinal character would only come from the environment of Islay affecting their casks during maturation - but it's really nonexistent. Bunnahabhain is now producing some peated spirit, having seen the success of their neighbors. Bruichladdich has greatly toned down their use of peat to the point they will not be peating except for a few bottlings, I understand. Their plan is to relegate their peated whiskies to future Port Charlotte bottlings. For someone wanting to discover peat without the iodine and medicinal characters being dominant, try Springbank 10, Glenturret, Benriach Curiositas Peat. These range in their use of peat but all have tempered to no iodine and medicinal character. For someone who wants to experience peat, iodion and medicinal without spending $55-60 or more for an Islay, try Benromach Traditional $35. Benromach 10, about $70, tames the iodine and medicinal because it is aged 100% in first fill sherry casks - this is a great whisky and great for understanding peat and wood influence.

[dirtysnkrs]

Actually couldnt wait for the weather to cool down so had to sample the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Now have been playing with it for a week, comparing it to the 10 yr Laphroaig, as well as Lagavulin 16 and Ardbeg 10.

Have to say it has quickly become my favorite. In my (short and shallow) experience, nothing rewards a continuous swirl around the mouth like 1/4 cask Laphroaig. It has a buttery savory-ness to it that so far in my experience is incomparable. The 10 yr Laphroaig has some of this as well and is still my favorite for a "daily dram". Lagavulin 16 has its own rewarding complexities, and the Ardbeg still escapes my appreciation for some reason.

But the 1/4 cask Laphroaig keeps drawing me back. I find myself not just swirling it, but practically gargling with it. Anyone else feel this way?

[San Francisco]

Originally Posted by dirtysnkrs

Actually couldnt wait for the weather to cool down so had to sample the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Now have been playing with it for a week, comparing it to the 10 yr Laphroaig, as well as Lagavulin 16 and Ardbeg 10.

Have to say it has quickly become my favorite. In my (short and shallow) experience, nothing rewards a continuous swirl around the mouth like 1/4 cask Laphroaig. It has a buttery savory-ness to it that so far in my experience is incomparable. The 10 yr Laphroaig has some of this as well and is still my favorite for a "daily dram". Lagavulin 16 has its own rewarding complexities, and the Ardbeg still escapes my appreciation for some reason.

But the 1/4 cask Laphroaig keeps drawing me back. I find myself not just swirling it, but practically gargling with it. Anyone else feel this way?

Have you tried the Ardbeg Uigeadail? Reminded me a bit of the QC, but is better and more complex, IMO.

[BourbonDrinker]

Originally Posted by San Francisco

Have you tried the Ardbeg Uigeadail? Reminded me a bit of the QC, but is better and more complex, IMO.

love it!
It's really the only Ardbeg I like.

[San Francisco]

Originally Posted by TheEtherMan

love it!
It's really the only Ardbeg I like.

It's the best, IMO. I like the Nam Beist too (picked up a spare bottle before it was discontinued). The Corryvreckan isn't as good as either, IMO.

[dirtysnkrs]

I have not tried the uigeadail yet, but it is high on my list. i have been giving the ardbeg 10 more attention lately, and am finding that, while its no laphroiag 1/4 cask, it seems to have more of that buttery savoryness i like than the lagavulin 16. cant say the ardbeg 10 has overtaken the laga 16 in my mind, but at least its moved up into a respectable position vis-a-vis. someone earlier in this thread really nailed it...you may hate it at first, but leave it for while and then come back with a clear mind and see what you think. interestingly, i find the same thing often applies to music, especially electronica.

[San Francisco]

Originally Posted by dirtysnkrs

someone earlier in this thread really nailed it...you may hate it at first, but leave it for while and then come back with a clear mind and see what you think. interestingly, i find the same thing often applies to music, especially electronica.

Completely agree. It works both ways. Sometimes I like a bottle more after time has passed, and sometimes I like a bottle less, particularly as I have gravitated more to Islay.

[dirtysnkrs]

Just tried it last night...holy shit!!!!

Yeah its fantastic! I notice that the experience is revered from most Islay Scotch, including the Laph 1/4 Cask. Usually the nose is smoky and the buttery savoryness comes on the palate and the finish. but with Uigeadail, the nose and palate are savory, and the smoke comes on the finish!

Wow!!!!!

it's trending towards being my favorite at the moment. Still have yet to try the Laph cask strength...

[nitehawk55]

Glad a few have tried and enjoyed this . Sorry , have not been on here for about a year so I have some catching up to do .

[Jojo]

Originally Posted by nitehawk55

Glad a few have tried and enjoyed this . Sorry , have not been on here for about a year so I have some catching up to do .

Happy to have you back! We always love your opinions & feedback - so hope you can visit us here more often!

[Islay Peat]

Originally Posted by HP12

Well, what a coincidence, my wife has surprised me with a bottle of Laphroaig 10. Initially I was looking for cask strength but where she was had limited expressions. Although she was going to get me a Lagavulin 16 (which they didn't have), I figured this will be a good intro as I journey into Islay.

Can anyone explain the differences between Laphroaig 10, quarter cask and cask strength? Other than ABV diffs, what are the nuances between them? At some point I will likely get a bottle of cask strength and do a side-by-side taste test with the Laphr 10.

Unless there is a large difference between the 3 Laphroaig expressions, I'll plan for my next peat monster to be the Laga 16. Your thoughts? TIA!

I can't explain the differences, as I'm still fairly new to this, but I find both the Laphroaig 10 and Laphroaig Quarter Cask to be mutually necessary; close but different is the best I can say.
The Cask Strength was enjoyable enough for me, but I prefer the other two.

Originally Posted by Soundmangt4

The first time I tried Laphroaig or Lagavulin 16 I thought they were horrible and medicinal, tasting of TCP. Yet after a small period of enjoying other single malts, especially a lot of Talisker, when I returned to both whiskies they was no hint of medicine, just glorious smokey wonderfulness!
It is amazing how your taste buds and palette can change over a small period!

I too disliked the bottle of Laphroaig 10 I bought last year, but about a week into it and I was sold. Lagavulin 16 = swoon at first taste!

Originally Posted by Dale

...and the fruitiness and floral notes more easily show through. It is one reason a Laphroaig 30 isn't as appealing to many who love Laphroaig 10 - they love the more prominent iodine and medicinal in the 10 (not to mention its $55-60 price) compared to the tamer 30 (with its $500+ price). Of course, not every distiller's spirit ages gracefully, and we all know (or should) that older isn't necessarily better. There are many distillers whose younger expressions I prefer to their older ones.

For someone wanting to discover peat without the iodine and medicinal characters being dominant, try Springbank 10, Glenturret, Benriach Curiositas Peat. These range in their use of peat but all have tempered to no iodine and medicinal character. For someone who wants to experience peat, iodine and medicinal without spending $55-60 or more for an Islay, try Benromach Traditional $35. Benromach 10, about $70, tames the iodine and medicinal because it is aged 100% in first fill sherry casks - this is a great whisky and great for understanding peat and wood influence.

I was a little put off when I found that I didn't like most of the older bottlings and it seems that with few exceptions I prefer 10 year bottlings over most others, Lagavulin 16 being a standout exception.

Thanks for the suggestions you've listed above and I can't wait to try all of them!