Laphroaig Aged 10 Years Original Cask Strength Batch 013 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml

Laphroaig 10 Year Original Cask Strength Batch 013 is the 13th release in the legendary Islay distillery's annual cask strength edition of its iconic 10 Year Old, bottled in January 2021 at a robust 57.9% ABV. Released in limited batches each year since 2009, the Cask Strength version delivers the full unfiltered intensity of Laphroaig 10 the way the distillery's blenders experience it straight from the cask. Distilled at Laphroaig on the south shore of Islay, an operational distillery since 1815 and one of the most distinctive peated single malts in the world, the whisky is made from heavily peated malt drawn from the distillery's own malting floors and Port Ellen Maltings (phenol levels up to 60 ppm). It is then matured for a minimum of 10 years exclusively in ex bourbon American oak barrels, bottled at natural cask strength without dilution, of natural color and non chill filtered. The result is the full intensity of classic Laphroaig peat smoke, iodine, sea salt, and seaweed amplified, layered over creamy vanilla, honeyed sweetness, citrus peel, and a long warming finish. Whiskybase rates Batch 013 88.10 out of 100 from over 760 ratings. As the annual batches rotate through, Batch 013 has become increasingly scarce and is a sought after addition for Laphroaig collectors and serious peated whisky enthusiasts.

ABV / Proof

Tasting Notes

Color: Pale gold (natural color, no added coloring).

Nose: Sweet biscuits, smoked cedar, Manuka honey, peat smoke, iodine, seaweed, pipe tobacco, old leather, candle wax, vanilla, lemon peel, and a touch of mango as it opens.

Palate: Burnt oak, barbecued marshmallow, toffee, sea salt, and Belgian caramel waffles, with roasted coffee, sticky toffee pudding, white pepper, candied fennel, and marmalade, all wrapped in waves of peat smoke. Surprisingly firm malt structure behind the smoke.

Finish: Long, warming, and stretchy with lingering peat smoke, sea salt, white pepper, spicy oak, and apples soaked in wine.

FAQ

What is cask strength? Cask strength means the whisky is bottled at or near the natural alcohol level it reaches in the cask, without dilution down to a standard bottling proof. Batch 013 of Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength is bottled at 57.9% ABV, compared to the standard Laphroaig 10 at 43%, delivering significantly more concentrated, intense flavor.

What is Batch 013? Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength has been released in annual numbered batches since 2009, each at a slightly different ABV depending on the casks selected. Batch 013 is the 13th release, bottled in January 2021 at 57.9% ABV. The batch number is printed on the front of the bottle and tube. Whisky Advocate and Whiskybase both rate Batch 013 highly, with Whiskybase showing 88.10/100 from 760+ ratings.

How is this different from standard Laphroaig 10? The standard Laphroaig 10 is bottled at 43% ABV (86 proof) and is chill filtered. The Cask Strength is bottled at the full natural cask strength (57.9% for this batch), non chill filtered, and of natural color. The result is more intense smoke, more concentrated salinity and citrus, a fuller oily texture, and a longer warming finish. Many Laphroaig enthusiasts consider the Cask Strength the superior expression for serious sipping.

How should I drink it? At 57.9% ABV, sip neat first to experience the full intensity, then add a few drops of water to open the aromatics and tame the heat. The high strength means it takes water very well and reveals additional layers as it opens up. A contemplative dram, not a mixer.

Why is Laphroaig so peaty? Laphroaig uses heavily peated malt with phenol levels up to around 60 ppm, drawn from its own malting floors and Port Ellen Maltings. The distillery's water source, the Kilbride Dam, runs through Islay's peat bogs, and the warehouses sit by the sea, adding the signature briny, medicinal, iodine character. Laphroaig is one of the most distinctive and uncompromisingly peated single malts in the world.

Where can I buy Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength Batch 013 online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.