Laphroaig 1990 - 1999. 8 Year Old. Bottled by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.Society cask number 29.11. A Passing Trawler. Love It Or Hate It. One of 259 bottles. 70cl. 59.4%. 103.9 Proof. No box.

From the archives. "A Passing Trawler. Love It Or Hate It": There can be no compromise with this malt (according to its current advertising). Certainly it is the most tarry of all malt whiskies, and, of course, comes from Kildalton Parish in Islay.

We found this example to be gentler and more subtle than the standard bottling - 'more feminine', someone said - but the nose is unmistakably Islay: Vick inhaler and footbaths, but with herbs and Hubba-Bubba bubblegum. And the maritime, salty dog aromas we know and love (or hate, as the case may be) in this example are more like a passing trawler, rather than being in the engine room or the hold.

The flavour is sweet and salty, with heaps of charcoal: heavy-duty tarpaulins, tar on the beach, oilskins, a hint of rubber. As Noel Coward said to Beryl Reid, "It'll put hairs on your chest"; "Not on my chest, surely, Sir Noel"; "Oh, you give up hope so easily"!

The original price for this bottle in 1999 was £39.