🥃 Laphroaig Quarter Cask
A Laphroaig line with extra maturation in small American oak casks; no age statement, 48% ABV according to Difford's Guide.
Laphroaig Quarter Cask is a line of Islay peated single malt whisky that also matures in small quarter casks. According to Difford's Guide, it has no age statement, is not chill-filtered and is bottled at 48% ABV, close to cask strength.
Production. The whisky first matures in ordinary ex-bourbon barrels, then is transferred into quarter casks, which are smaller than standard casks and made of sweet American oak. The smaller cask gives the spirit more contact with the wood, so, according to the brand's description, the taste is creamier and velvetier. According to Difford's Guide, the quarter casks are stored on the first floor of Dunnage Warehouse No. 1 near the Atlantic.
Why it matters to you. Quarter Cask is stronger than the core 10 Year Old and has a different structure because of the small casks, while the peaty character remains. There is no age statement on the bottle, so rely on the strength and the line name. Compare it with Select and Triple Wood. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | Laphroaig distillery, 1815, Islay |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | barley malt dried over the smoke of Islay peat |
| Cask type | first ex-bourbon barrels, then small quarter casks of American oak |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 48% ABV (per Difford's Guide) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Laphroaig Quarter Cask → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Laphroaig, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Related to
- 🥃 Islay whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Laphroaig 10 Year Old, 🥃 Laphroaig Lore, 🥃 Laphroaig 10 Year Old, 🥃 Laphroaig Lore, 🥃 Laphroaig Select, 🥃 Laphroaig Triple Wood, 🥃 Laphroaig Select, 🥃 Laphroaig Triple Wood, 🥃 Peated whisky
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Quarter Cask matures in small casks?
Yes: after bourbon barrels the whisky is moved into small American oak quarter casks.
What is the strength of Laphroaig Quarter Cask?
Difford's Guide gives 48% ABV, not chill-filtered; check the label.
Does it carry an age statement?
No: according to Difford's Guide, this version has no age statement.
What to read next
- 🥃 Laphroaig Lore — A Laphroaig line blended from single malt whiskies aged 7 to 21 years from casks of different types; the brand describes smoke, sea spray and bitter chocolate.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
- 🥃 Islay whisky — Protected locality of Scotch whisky: the name Islay may appear only on Scotch distilled on the island of Islay, which has 10 distilleries.
Similar
🥃 Laphroaig Select · 🥃 Laphroaig 10 Year Old · 🥃 Laphroaig Triple Wood · 🥃 Laphroaig Lore · 🥃 Lagavulin 16 Year Old · 🥃 Caol Ila 18 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Laphroaig Quarter Cask (48 %, no age statement, not chill-filtered, final maturation in quarter casks, Dunnage Warehouse No. 1)
- Laphroaig: Laphroaig's Distinctive Whisky Range (10 Year Old, Sherry Oak, Select, Quarter Cask)
- Laphroaig: Differences between Laphroaig 10 and Quarter Cask (ex-bourbon barrels; American oak quarter casks)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and its categories (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)