Laphroaig Càirdeas 2018 Fino Cask Finish

The Cairdeas line is rapidly becoming one of my favorite whiskey collections. The 2017 Quarter Cask Cask Strength is among my all-time favorites, and I'm quite enjoying this 2018 Fino Cask. Let's get right to it. Nose: Seaweed, sea salt, ash, and peat smoke leap from the glass. Campfire smoke. Iodine, band-aid, and ash. Tennis ball. Vanilla, honey, and butterscotch sweet notes. Almond and hazelnut. A bit of lemon, apricot, and pear. Caramel, brown sugar, nougat, and milk chocolate. Soft pretzel. It's predominantly briny and salty, with some secondary smokiness and sweetness. Palate: More sea salt and brine, campfire smoke, ash, and iodine. Now with some smoked brisket. Toffee, malt, vanilla, sugar cookie, honey, and butterscotch. Dark chocolate cake. The Fino cask influence starts to appear here. Some plum, red grape, cranberry, golden raisin, and poundcake. There's also lemon and orange citrus, as well as pear, apple, and apricot. Significant ashy notes at the end of the palate. Like waking up the morning after a campfire in the woods. Superb. Finish: Salt, cinnamon, black pepper. Classic black bean, red pepper chili notes. Nicely spicy as a high-proof Scotch should be. More of the orchard and citrus fruit. Vanilla and caramel sweetness. A long, phenomenal finish. Exceptional product. The nose is somewhat restrained for a Laphroaig, but it's high quality nonetheless. The palate and finish are as bold and captivating as any Islay malt I've experienced. Top marks for this one. Edit: I purchased a second bottle of this and find the nose to be considerably more appealing. If I must choose, I'd lean towards the 2017 Quarter Cask Cask Strength. But my preference is marginal. The reality is that this is a spectacular whisky. 5 stars. Stay tuned for my review of the 2016 Marsala Cask release. Well done, Laphroaig.

This annual Feis Ile release of Laphroaig, named Cairdeas (friendship in Gaelic), features a product aged in first-fill bourbon barrels for 8 to 10 years, finished in Fino Sherry casks. This expression, highly sought after by peat enthusiasts, is bottled at cask strength, 51.8% ABV, undiluted. It has a natural color and is non-chill filtered. For context, Fino casks are the lightest of the Sherry casks, with only 5 grams per liter of residual sugar. This Fino expression is considered "refined" as the cask previously held a post-treatment brandy. Expectations are for a woody and fruity profile. Nose: Typical iodized peat of Laphroaig. High-heat cooked steak. Honey and salt. Palate: Strong medicinal peat, characteristic of the distillery. Notes of nuts, honey, vanilla, and salted caramel. A very bourbon-like quality. It's warm and quite intense. As someone else might say, "it's a real kick in the mouth." Woody notes are present. Campfire wood. Finish: Dry, woody, medicinal peat, with a sweet and salty balance. Overall: It's pure. Intense. Fresh. Young but expressive. I don't inherently dislike NAS (No Age Statement) whiskies as long as sufficient information is available. That said, I appreciate its woody and slightly sweet character. Sensitive palates should proceed with caution. It possesses excellent complexity, as usual. I hesitate to compare it to the 2017 Cairdeas, which seemed sweeter and more approachable. "True" Laphroaig fans will be satisfied with this punchy Cairdeas. Beginners won't find it an easy introduction. For me, this is the kind of bottle that can trigger a "craving." When I desire a peat punch, this Cairdeas will satisfy that craving. 93%

I've had this bottle for nearly two years, and a pending move has finally prompted me to finish it. The aroma is reminiscent of a soapy car wash situated beside a breezy ocean beach... with indistinct fruits mingled with salt, kelp, and a touch of dust. It's not disappointing, but it's not extraordinary either. It does effectively set the stage for the palate. And that palate; it captures all that's good about Laphroaig without feeling like you had to lick an ashtray and endure a punch to the throat. But don't be fooled by its softer characteristics. There's still ample brine, soot, rubber, iodine, and smoke to discover, now perfectly complemented by white grapes, figs, dark cherries, and marzipan. The finish is medium-long, briefly recalling each flavor before concluding with a delightful surge of sweet salt spray. This is precisely what I desire in an enhanced Laphroaig, and it trails only the PX cask by the slightest margin in depth and richness. Definitely worth acquiring if you can find a bottle for under $125.

As I truly adored the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 cask strength, I purchased that one and it came with this 2018 Cairdeas Fino cask version, which is a very good drink, but not as good as the 2017 one. Fino is a variety of sherry, a white wine sherry (right?). This tends to be more tropical, similar to white wine. Bottled at 51.8% with an amber color. On the nose: Bonfire, Lemon, Burnt hay, Grapefruit, Citric and peat. Pure peat. Gunpowder; Faint toffee; Seafood. Shellfish. Oysters. On the palate, Grapefruit, Ashes, Mint and Oysters. It presents an Earthy - seaside character. Aftertaste is medium in length, with a blend of spices: Smoke, Sulfur, Salt, Pepper and Wasabi. Overall, this is a very enjoyable drink; you don't sense the 51.8% ABV at all, but it seems to lack "that special something" to elevate it from just a good whisky to a great one. 89/100.

The Fino sherry cask finish is excessive on the typical Laphroaig character, which is odd because it does impart some floral and herbal notes. My opinion is that it's detrimental, introducing flavors that detract from the original spirit's appeal. Nose: Sea spray, ash, pipe tobacco, with an underlying floral sweetness. Palate: Mineral, tar, and sharp elements similar to amaro or gin, like anise, rhubarb, and peppercorns. A touch of tannic, tart cherries. Finish: Standard Laphroaig fare: coating smoke, charred animal flesh, and salt. It's intriguing, but it pulls in two opposing directions, diverting from what I appreciate in the 10 year old.

To start, I'm a major peat enthusiast. While this is a pleasant dram to drink, I prefer the 2017 Cairdeas for a more substantial sip, and it doesn't really compare to the standard Laphroaig 10, which I'd choose any day over this for almost half the cost. That being said, it has a very nice briny aroma, and I wouldn't turn away from the overall sweetness of the scotch. I could say I detect a seaside mist and barbecued meats from it, but that wouldn't be surprising for a Laphroaig and it's all subjective anyway. For Laphroaigs, get yourself two 10s or a Lore instead. They're a much better value for your money.