This review was completed with a sample provided by The Devils Distillery, this has in no way altered the opinion of the whisky.

Through the week we’ve been talking all about Devils Distillery and their Hobart Whisky, starting with the Signature Batch 1 (S-001) on Wednesday, Thursday with the Signature Batch 2 (S-002) and yesterday with the Winter Feast.

Today it’s all about the Laphroaig Cask Finished, Batch 20-001.

The Laphroaig cask finish was released in July of 2020, and helps showcase Devils Distillery wide variety of casks. The whisky started out being matured in small ex-bourbonfor 3 and a half years, reracked to a 200L rum cask for 1 year before a final 12 days finish in a 200L ex-Laphroaig cask.

Dropped in to bottle at 60.6%, this cask strength belter was limited to 191 bottles, and is still available for those wanting something with a bit more oomph. What wonders does the whisky hold…

It’s a walk through the aftermath of a heather fire for starters, brilliant smoky floral tones reaching up from the glass to grasp at us. Smoky maple wood and gun ash join in, thick heavy wood with charred caramel, quite big on the tree sap with big meaty molasses. It turns towards sweeter notes until we hit gum leaves again, with dark chocolate, leather, old coffee beans and dry earth carrying dusty notes of sugar and spice.

With a sip it takes the palate sometime to recover from its heavy rush, but it’s less brutal than just a whisky wanting to show it’s flavours. After shave balm of cedar wood extract and oils, quite spicy with peppery ginger bread and then super sweet with vanilla royal icing, nectarines and honey. Crushed rose petals swirl about the mouth, dried fruits, liquorice, good melted chocolate with dried fruits and nuts before a wash of herb.

The finish holds an amazingly creamy mouthfeel, sweet with burnt demerara and brown sugar, dark chocolate and a lasting fresh notes akin to freshly plucked mint.

I loved this whisky. As I was drinking it a roaring fire began in the dram, reflected by the roaring fire that was steadily built in the fire place next to me. I swear the whisky was the more warming however, and really hit the spot on a chilly English night.

I was trepidatious about the number of casks this had been through in its short life, but it carried each of them well, a fine balance of the ex-bourbon, rum and Laphroaig cask. Those few short days helps some smoke dive through the dram and still some of the more fiery sugary notes and allowed the whisky a better expression.

As for the cask strength, I added a few drops of water over time but found it to distract from the whisky rather than add to it, that 60.6% heavy at first but soon made itself right at home. For the keen whisky heads I’d say grab yourself a bottle of this while you can (I’ll even give you another link) as 191 bottles won’t last long.

So what would go well with this? Big and beasty with plenty of flavour but tempers itself quite well, it needs something full of life, vigour and all round appeal.

That’ll do nicely.

If you want to learn more about Devils Distillery you can click here, and view their range by clicking here.

This review is not sponsored or endorsed by any whisky or distillery, Devils Distillery or otherwise, and is entirely the thoughts and opinions of the authors Somewhiskybloke.

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