Looking forward to grabbing a couple of the 15’s. I absolutely loved the 13… so maybe I should try the 14 as well. Interesting in my area that Batch 10,11,12,and 14 are still on the shelf but NO more 13 to be found anywhere. Batch 13 in my area flew off the shelves.
Very interesting. I do wonder if the batches are all the same size and what the reason is for us getting batches on a relatively short time scale lately. Lots of questions that we're not likely to get answers to. What has been the best batch for you so far? Batch 13? I also find it very odd that Laphroaig seem to have 10CS from previous batches as well as Cairdeas kicking around on their website (or sometimes coming back into stock) for quite a long time. Whatever criticism we can throw at Laphroaig they're certainly doing a good job of meeting demand. Unlike some... If 10CS really does come from one homogenous batch then their marrying vat must be enormous...
Hello my WL friend, thanks for a great comparison review between B14 & B15. I agree with you that at least Laphroaig is making their releases available more frequently compared to others which is a good thing on the availability front. I believe we all wonder what flavor nuances make one batch better over the other. For the ones (myself included) that don't go after each batch it likely comes down whether you got what you expected out of the batch you acquired. Afterall, for many, we can't/won't get every batch that comes out. Disclosure: I do have B13 & B14 currently and look forward to grabbing a B15 when it arrives in my market, that's likely months from now.
Thanks Rohit. I'm glad you like it 👍 You make a good point about value being linked to having your expectations met. Because I at least try almost every batch and have had a bottle of each for a while now I feel like I can appreciate them a little more, even the ones that aren't exactly to my preference. Whereas if one of the milder ones was my one and only bottle then I'd probably be less happy about it. As someone who has a few batches to choose from it's nice to hop around and look for the differences. The good and the bad. Nice point. Cheers 🥃
Thanks for doing this, I have the batch 13 and love it but was tempted by the 15 as it has that rougher rep right now and you confirmed it! I felt the 14 was a bit too much of an homage to the quarter cask sweetness as well, good, but not great and I feel somewhat vindicated watching your review of it as well. If only the 18yr would resume it's rightful place instead of Lore, the sweet spot of Laphroaig would truly be back IMO.
That's an interesting comparison of batch 14 and QC. They definitely both have that super fresh American oak sweetness. As many whiskies these days do and I'm not entirely a fan of that either. Also interesting that you mention the old discontinued 18. I opened my last bottle of the 18 a couple of weeks ago and you're absolutely right that it is better than Lore. Sure Lore has some old stock in it and John Campbell basically presented it as 15yo Laphroaig with other casks thrown in... but it's really not! I don't even think the 16yo Laphroaig is close to what the 18 was. So agreed, it would be good for something like that to return. Although at this point, if they do bring back an 18yo, I feel it will be closer to £200 a bottle rather than the £75 we used to pay...
Great video! We have a release of Batches 14 & 15 coming up in my area... I already have B14, so your video is helpful for me to decide if I should grab another B14, pickup the B15, ...or neither! (I already have B10 & B13 waiting patiently...)
Great comparison! I have been wondering if I should make the hour and 15 minute drive to pick up a bottle of the batch 15 or not. I think I may have to make the drive and pick this up.
That's tough but I think I'd still go for batch 12. I think 12 was still more medicinal and herbal than 15. Although sadly I don't have any batch 12 left to do a direct comparison.
@@WhiskyLock thanks for the opinion. still, you could still order online from the official site right? i couldn't dare attempt to purchase from abroad due the 150% tax here... 75 GBP bottle becomes 187.5 GBP... and they even tax the shipping fee...
@@underwave19 yes I think I can still get batch 12 from Laphroaig. I still have over half a dozen bottles of other batches of 10CS though and many more different whiskies waiting for me to open and review. I try not to stock up too much these days because there's always something new and interesting. I feel for you and the high tax/duty. It's bad enough here in the UK but some countries are obviously much, much harsher 😕
Yeah, CS 15 is back in stock. Along with the 2020 and 2021 Cairdeas, which have been out of stock for ages! If you had to pick 2 of the 3, which would you go for? (I already have the CS 13, 14 and 2022 Cairdeas.)
@@davidloh4342 great 👍 the one I'd give a pass is the PX Cairdeas. A lot of people liked it but for me the Cask finish was very overdone and heavy handed. If you want a fruity sherry/wine style Laphraoig then I think Port & Wine was MUCH better. Less heavy. More complex. Just my opinion. Cheers 🥃
Excellent and helpful comparison, thanks for this. Curiously, I just went on the Laphroaig UK web shop and I can't see the batch 15 on there, though it's available from other retailers. Was planning to get a bottle of the 2022 Càirdeas alongside the batch 15. Do you have any intel on where the batch 15 has got to? Edit: just seen from other comments that the B15 sold out pretty quickly. Hopefully they will be putting some more bottles up there soon.
Thanks Matt. From what I can see Laphroaig are taking 'pre-orders' from Europe but showing out of stock if you're in the UK. Makes no sense at all and it's not the first time we've seen such weird, irritating shenanigans from Laphroaig. Normally I'd promote going direct when possible but for an easy life I got mine from Whisky Exchange for £74. It's also in stock for a few pounds more at Master of Malt and CGars (free delivery over £50). Cheers!
Just to say thanks for the reply. I will explore options with a retailer. Definitely some mysterious shenanigans going on, no doubt there is a marketing master plan here from Laphroaig...! Shame to see the big difference in colour between the Càirdeas 2022 and the Cask Strength 15, but hey, what can we do. Sounds like they are both tasting good in any event.
Absolutely. I will usually nose and taste a whisky at least 2-3 times on separate days, with and without water, while making notes before sitting down to record. I don't think it can work reliably any other way. Blind Tasting is great, fun and useful but not the best way to get reliable and detailed notes IMHO. Part of the reason I like to taste a whisky on several different days is to let the whisky oxidise and settle down before I form an opinion. Many whiskies will develop a lot in the first few days after opening. I do continue to nose and taste during videos though and mention anything new that I find if I'm sure it's not just me having a bad nose day. Cheers 🥃
@@Wilt_Chamberlain I'm glad you're enjoying it 👍 I really like both this year's Cairdeas and 10CS. Very happy with both and I think it comes down to what I feel like as to which I pour. Warehouse 1 is pure quality and finesse. 10CS is all about the power. I'd call it a draw and possibly still would even if the Cairdeas was cask strength. Two fantastic drams 🥃
Thanks Robert! I've really liked a lot of them in different ways but I really think that this new batch 15 is one of the best we've had in a long time. What's your favourite?
Just finished a bottle of Batch 12. I have yet to see Batch 15 around here nor could I ever get 13 or 14 locally. Batch 12 was awesome and a powerhouse of flavor. I loved it with the exception of the occasion skunky cannabis note on the finish which I have never gotten from regular 10 Year. Most often I only noticed it if I was A/B’ing it with something else. At work I deal with filthy, skunky, pothead construction guys so it was almost a deal breaker once I noticed it. 😂😂😂
The dreaded Skunk Whisky 😂 I feel like that used to be a fairly common note in bad whisky a long time ago but thankfully is much rarer these days. A lot of people here smoke it in public or blow the smoke out of their car windows as they're driving. Maybe they're unaware... but nobody thinks that's a cigarette! Very common here. Not nice!
Very tough question as they're all very good and often in different ways. I liked batch 8 a lot because it seemed a bit dirtier. I also liked batch 6 a lot because it seemed more mature than 10yrs whilst keeping a lot of the peat. And of course I think batch 15 is very good. The current batch 15 is probably the best all rounder we've had for a while IMHO. What do you think?
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Looking forward to grabbing a couple of the 15’s.
I absolutely loved the 13… so maybe I should try the 14 as well.
Interesting in my area that Batch 10,11,12,and 14 are still on the shelf but NO more 13 to be found anywhere. Batch 13 in my area flew off the shelves.
Very interesting. I do wonder if the batches are all the same size and what the reason is for us getting batches on a relatively short time scale lately. Lots of questions that we're not likely to get answers to. What has been the best batch for you so far? Batch 13?
I also find it very odd that Laphroaig seem to have 10CS from previous batches as well as Cairdeas kicking around on their website (or sometimes coming back into stock) for quite a long time. Whatever criticism we can throw at Laphroaig they're certainly doing a good job of meeting demand. Unlike some...
If 10CS really does come from one homogenous batch then their marrying vat must be enormous...
Agreed, batch 13 was fantastic from the neck pour! My favorites we're 9 and 10, though 11 was solid too.
Hello my WL friend, thanks for a great comparison review between B14 & B15. I agree with you that at least Laphroaig is making their releases available more frequently compared to others which is a good thing on the availability front. I believe we all wonder what flavor nuances make one batch better over the other. For the ones (myself included) that don't go after each batch it likely comes down whether you got what you expected out of the batch you acquired. Afterall, for many, we can't/won't get every batch that comes out. Disclosure: I do have B13 & B14 currently and look forward to grabbing a B15 when it arrives in my market, that's likely months from now.
Thanks Rohit. I'm glad you like it 👍 You make a good point about value being linked to having your expectations met. Because I at least try almost every batch and have had a bottle of each for a while now I feel like I can appreciate them a little more, even the ones that aren't exactly to my preference. Whereas if one of the milder ones was my one and only bottle then I'd probably be less happy about it. As someone who has a few batches to choose from it's nice to hop around and look for the differences. The good and the bad. Nice point. Cheers 🥃
Thank you for ur great review. I do love Laphroaig especially the CS.
Yes, aside from a couple of dud expressions they are one of my favourite distilleries. And the 10CS is superb 🙂
Thanks for doing this, I have the batch 13 and love it but was tempted by the 15 as it has that rougher rep right now and you confirmed it! I felt the 14 was a bit too much of an homage to the quarter cask sweetness as well, good, but not great and I feel somewhat vindicated watching your review of it as well. If only the 18yr would resume it's rightful place instead of Lore, the sweet spot of Laphroaig would truly be back IMO.
That's an interesting comparison of batch 14 and QC. They definitely both have that super fresh American oak sweetness. As many whiskies these days do and I'm not entirely a fan of that either.
Also interesting that you mention the old discontinued 18. I opened my last bottle of the 18 a couple of weeks ago and you're absolutely right that it is better than Lore. Sure Lore has some old stock in it and John Campbell basically presented it as 15yo Laphroaig with other casks thrown in... but it's really not! I don't even think the 16yo Laphroaig is close to what the 18 was. So agreed, it would be good for something like that to return. Although at this point, if they do bring back an 18yo, I feel it will be closer to £200 a bottle rather than the £75 we used to pay...
Great video! We have a release of Batches 14 & 15 coming up in my area... I already have B14, so your video is helpful for me to decide if I should grab another B14, pickup the B15, ...or neither! (I already have B10 & B13 waiting patiently...)
Thanks! Unless you really prefer the sweeter side present in batch 14 I would definitely give #15 a try 👍
Great review
Cheers Ryan 🥃
Great comparison! I have been wondering if I should make the hour and 15 minute drive to pick up a bottle of the batch 15 or not. I think I may have to make the drive and pick this up.
Thanks! IMO it'd be worth it 😉
if you compare batch 12 and 15, which one would you pick, if i were to ask which has more of that iconic laphroaig iodine/medicinal peat character?
That's tough but I think I'd still go for batch 12. I think 12 was still more medicinal and herbal than 15. Although sadly I don't have any batch 12 left to do a direct comparison.
@@WhiskyLock thanks for the opinion. still, you could still order online from the official site right? i couldn't dare attempt to purchase from abroad due the 150% tax here... 75 GBP bottle becomes 187.5 GBP... and they even tax the shipping fee...
@@underwave19 yes I think I can still get batch 12 from Laphroaig. I still have over half a dozen bottles of other batches of 10CS though and many more different whiskies waiting for me to open and review. I try not to stock up too much these days because there's always something new and interesting.
I feel for you and the high tax/duty. It's bad enough here in the UK but some countries are obviously much, much harsher 😕
Batch 15 already sold out on the Laphroaig site! 😮 Must be good!
That didn't take long! I bet they'll have more bottles ready soon though 🤞
Yeah, CS 15 is back in stock. Along with the 2020 and 2021 Cairdeas, which have been out of stock for ages! If you had to pick 2 of the 3, which would you go for? (I already have the CS 13, 14 and 2022 Cairdeas.)
@@davidloh4342 great 👍 the one I'd give a pass is the PX Cairdeas. A lot of people liked it but for me the Cask finish was very overdone and heavy handed. If you want a fruity sherry/wine style Laphraoig then I think Port & Wine was MUCH better. Less heavy. More complex. Just my opinion. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLock thank you - appreciate the opinion. Or I could get all three, I suppose! 😂
My liver won’t thank me but ordered all three. Why do things by half measures, right? 😂
Did you like the 15 better than the 13? I am a huge Ardbeg fan. The only Laphroaig expression I ever have on hand is the CS.
Hi Scott. I think I do, yes. Batch 15 is a good one. Agree that Laphroaig 10CS is the one to keep on hand 👍Cheers 🥃
Excellent and helpful comparison, thanks for this. Curiously, I just went on the Laphroaig UK web shop and I can't see the batch 15 on there, though it's available from other retailers. Was planning to get a bottle of the 2022 Càirdeas alongside the batch 15. Do you have any intel on where the batch 15 has got to?
Edit: just seen from other comments that the B15 sold out pretty quickly. Hopefully they will be putting some more bottles up there soon.
Thanks Matt. From what I can see Laphroaig are taking 'pre-orders' from Europe but showing out of stock if you're in the UK. Makes no sense at all and it's not the first time we've seen such weird, irritating shenanigans from Laphroaig.
Normally I'd promote going direct when possible but for an easy life I got mine from Whisky Exchange for £74. It's also in stock for a few pounds more at Master of Malt and CGars (free delivery over £50). Cheers!
Just to say thanks for the reply. I will explore options with a retailer. Definitely some mysterious shenanigans going on, no doubt there is a marketing master plan here from Laphroaig...! Shame to see the big difference in colour between the Càirdeas 2022 and the Cask Strength 15, but hey, what can we do. Sounds like they are both tasting good in any event.
Do you write your (tasting) notes down on your PC/tablet before creating the video?
Absolutely. I will usually nose and taste a whisky at least 2-3 times on separate days, with and without water, while making notes before sitting down to record. I don't think it can work reliably any other way. Blind Tasting is great, fun and useful but not the best way to get reliable and detailed notes IMHO.
Part of the reason I like to taste a whisky on several different days is to let the whisky oxidise and settle down before I form an opinion. Many whiskies will develop a lot in the first few days after opening.
I do continue to nose and taste during videos though and mention anything new that I find if I'm sure it's not just me having a bad nose day. Cheers 🥃
@@WhiskyLock Thank you for your detailed response! Enjoying these comparisons. Which one do you enjoy more? Batch 15 or the Cairdeas 2022?
@@Wilt_Chamberlain I'm glad you're enjoying it 👍 I really like both this year's Cairdeas and 10CS. Very happy with both and I think it comes down to what I feel like as to which I pour. Warehouse 1 is pure quality and finesse. 10CS is all about the power. I'd call it a draw and possibly still would even if the Cairdeas was cask strength. Two fantastic drams 🥃
Great video! What was your favorite batch?
Thanks Robert! I've really liked a lot of them in different ways but I really think that this new batch 15 is one of the best we've had in a long time. What's your favourite?
Just finished a bottle of Batch 12. I have yet to see Batch 15 around here nor could I ever get 13 or 14 locally. Batch 12 was awesome and a powerhouse of flavor. I loved it with the exception of the occasion skunky cannabis note on the finish which I have never gotten from regular 10 Year. Most often I only noticed it if I was A/B’ing it with something else. At work I deal with filthy, skunky, pothead construction guys so it was almost a deal breaker once I noticed it. 😂😂😂
The dreaded Skunk Whisky 😂 I feel like that used to be a fairly common note in bad whisky a long time ago but thankfully is much rarer these days.
A lot of people here smoke it in public or blow the smoke out of their car windows as they're driving. Maybe they're unaware... but nobody thinks that's a cigarette! Very common here. Not nice!
👍🏻
What is the best batch you've had? Thank you.
Very tough question as they're all very good and often in different ways. I liked batch 8 a lot because it seemed a bit dirtier. I also liked batch 6 a lot because it seemed more mature than 10yrs whilst keeping a lot of the peat. And of course I think batch 15 is very good. The current batch 15 is probably the best all rounder we've had for a while IMHO. What do you think?
🥃🥃👍🏻😁