Lately I’ve been enjoying a lot of whisky at home (I blame the Coronavirus quarantine!) and thinking about what led me to fall in love with whisky. Since I lean heavily on the single malt scotch spectrum of whisky drinkers, it got me thinking about my first taste of it. And that inspired me to write an Ode to Laphroaig 10, my first scotch.
An Ode to Laphroaig
Back when I was 25 years old, there were two things I’d liked longer than my memory could serve: whisky, and one of my guy friends. He was the one that the timing was never quite right — when he was single, I wasn’t; when I was single, he was far from it.
Whisky, on the other hand, was love at first sight — only I don’t remember when we first met. All I know is I was way younger than I should have been (sorry Mom!), and before I knew it I was notorious for two things: wearing high heels and having a bottle of whisky with me.
While my guy friend and I wove in and out of each other’s lives, whisky and I were soulmates from the get-go. But back then, I was mainly a bourbon drinker. So when he offered to introduce me to scotch, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to combine two of my favorite things (at the time).
Laphroaig 10, Neat
We met at The Beerhive, a beer bar with a small whisky selection in downtown Salt Lake City (where I lived then). I came straight from a wedding wearing a black cocktail dress, way overdressed for the bar. But being overdressed has been a running theme throughout my life, so it only made sense I was overdressed for my first scotch!
He picked Laphroaig 10, ordered a pair of pours neat, with a side of ice.
Now those of you who know a thing or two about scotch, or maybe just have had half a sip of Laphroaig, might be cringing about now. For those of you who haven’t, I’ll fill you in: Laphroaig is not exactly a first timer’s scotch. Medicinal and smoky, it’s heavy with elements that leave a lasting impression on first timers — to say the least.
But for me, my first sip of Laphroaig 10 was magical. It smelled like salty ocean air blowing over campfire smoke. The taste felt dark and bright at the same time, the way dark chocolate can be both bitter and comfortingly sweet at once. All the things I loved about bourbon were there — vanilla notes with woody undertones laced with spiciness — but with the added intensity of smoke and salt. I was in love.
Love at First Sip
He was more shocked than I was that I loved Laphroaig. Then he admitted why. “If you like this,” he explained, “you’ll like any scotch.” Turns out he was right. Almost a decade and hundreds of scotches later, there are few I dislike (although plenty I prefer over others). And as for Laphroaig, not only do I still love it, I’m a huge fan of all Islay whisky, the region of Scotland where Laphroaig distillery calls home.
Some people consider peaty whisky to be an acquired taste, one that even long term whisky lovers have to “work up” to. But the way I instantly liked Laphroaig proves that some people immediately enjoy peaty, intense whiskies.
A Continuing Ode to Laphroaig
As you might have guessed, things with that guy didn’t last. But things with me and scotch have been growing strong ever since. Especially after I moved to Chicago and discovered a whole new world of whisky, sending me in search of the source in Scotland.
But those are tales for another day. For now, I’ll reminisce of my first sip of scotch, an ode to Laphroaig, and raise a glass to the man who introduced me to my one true love: scotch. Sláinte mhaith!
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Related :: A Guide to the Scotch Regions of Scotland, Why I Love Whiskey, and Whisky with My Shoes
