New Release: Laphroaig 1988/1989-2017 27 Year Old Official Limited Edition 41.7%

The aroma was slightly different from what one might expect given the lower ABV. Laphroaig LAPHROAIG 1988/1989-2017 27yo Official Limited Edition 41.7% The nose is strongly fruity, with grapefruit and peach, fish stock broth, vanilla, cinnamon, pronounced oak, a touch of turpentine, nuts fried in oil, and a strong peat with iodine. On the palate, it is smooth but expands powerfully for its ABV, with a strong grapefruit note, fruity sweetness and acidity, saltiness and peat, and a pronounced woody character with turpentine, leaving a long finish. 【Very Good】 This is a new release of the Laphroaig 27 Year Old Limited Edition bottled directly from the distillery this year. The distillation dates are said to be 1988-1989. Given the long maturation period and the ABV being nearly at its lowest, I had imagined a tropical-flavored, intensely fruity but slightly weakened-bodied type at the time of release. However, upon actually tasting it, while the fruity character is well-presented, there are few tropical elements, and on the other hand, I didn't feel much of a dried-out or weakened character. Perhaps due to the strong woody character with turpentine-like notes, it retains power for its ABV, and the official-style peat with iodine is still assertive and clearly felt without being faded. Typically, I had imagined the flavor profile of a long-matured Laphroaig bottling from the Scottish Royal series, which is fruity and light, but this is not that type. Nevertheless, I found it delicious in its own right.