Laphroaig 30 Year Old - The Ian Hunter Story Book 1: Unique Character (70cl, 46.7%)

Here we have the inaugural release from Laphraoig's The Ian Hunter Story series! As you may have guessed, the series celebrates Ian Hunter, the last member of the Johnston family to own and manage Laphroaig Distillery. The first release, dubbed Book 1: Unique Character, is a magnificent 30 Year Old single malt, matured exclusively in American white oak bourbon barrels. The reason behind the cask choice is to pay homage to Hunter's original decision to introduce American oak maturation to the Laphroaig Distillery. The cask strength bottling is presented in a faux hardback book presentation case, with a limited release of only 4,800 bottles.

Nose: Sweet and medicinal with manuka honey, light peat smoke, cooked apple and rosemary vanilla. Orgeat syrup and a hint of lemon peel complete the aroma.

Palate: Peaty and peppery with notes of herbs, cedar, kumquat zest and gorse flower. A sweetness of custard cream and vanilla pods.

Finish: Coastal with subtle iodine, sea salt and seaweed notes. A touch of coffee and oaky character.