Laphroaig Càirdeas 2021 Pedro Ximenez Casks

I searched for this bottle for weeks, like a hunter tracking game, sensing its presence and finally cornering it. It had been listed as coming soon for a long time. Then, one day, it appeared: the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2021 PX Cask, magnificent and glorious. Perhaps it was more like a lover pursuing their beloved than predator and prey. Sometimes, men get these things mixed up, to our regret. Regardless, the whisky was going to be mine. There were six bottles at a store two and a half miles away. My wife needed the car for an appointment, so I ran there with a backpack, secured for the journey, to bring the bottle home. I arrived forty-five minutes after opening and went straight to the scotch section, but it wasn't on the shelves. I pulled out my phone, found a picture, located an employee, and showed them the image of what I was looking for. They went to the register, printed a serial number, and vanished into the stockroom. Would they return with my treasure, or would I leave empty-handed after coming all this way? But then, they reappeared, emerging from the swinging door, holding the striking green and white cylinder with its red "Cask Strength" band. It was there, and it was now mine. I clearly adore Laphroaig, possibly to an excessive degree. Yes, I also enjoy Ardbeg, but Laphroaig holds a special place. It feels like a perfect match, like soulmates, though I acknowledge many others feel the same connection to Laphroaig. I'm awarding this the highest score I've ever given any whisky reviewed on this site. While I might be biased, it feels earned. I've never given a 5 before; that number represents perfection, the unattainable ideal, a whisky that likely doesn't exist, an experience bordering on the ecstatic. You understand what I mean, especially on a site dedicated to the whisky experience. I opened it a few weeks ago. My initial plan was to share it on Halloween with my father and brother-in-law while watching a football game. However, given my intense pursuit, you can probably guess I couldn't wait and opened it myself two days prior. I'd experienced some anxiety that day and felt I deserved a treat. My first impressions are jotted down on a Post-it note: "Earthy & Sweet. Loamy. Yes, peat, but it's more than peat, much earthier, like tasty mulch." It truly has the sweetness from the PX Casks, well-balanced, and it's possibly the most earthy whisky I've encountered. I'm not sure how Islay achieves this. Descriptions of tar and iodine in some Islay whiskies might sound unappealing, but Islay fans understand the appeal – you're not tasting tar or iodine, or Band-Aids in this case, but rather a superbly crafted scotch that transforms those elements into a delicious, integrated sensory experience. Additional thoughts: "Curiously, it also reminds me of hashish. Some friends used to get it in high school, and the mulch combined with the rich, port-like sweetness (even though PX is sherry) evokes that scent for me. Tasting notes don't usually include illicit substances, so it's an unusual comparison. When writing this online, I must clarify that I'm not admitting to personal use – I don't want any trouble – but being around it, I recognize the aroma and feel it's a fitting comparison..." There's also a hint of new leather on the nose. Not worn, old leather like a favorite jacket, but the scent you'd encounter in a new leather goods store. This is my third cask strength Islay, following the outstanding Ardbeg Uigeadail and the pleasant Kilchoman Machir Bay 2020 CS, but this Laphroaig elevates the experience significantly. The deep, dark red color alone, resembling a red ale, is enough to excite any scotch enthusiast upon pouring; it's simply stunning. Perhaps I should have started there, but my admiration has my thoughts racing, offering compliment after compliment, much like meeting a truly beautiful woman who reciprocates your interest, leading you to praise her incessantly. This whisky is incredibly close to the perfect, ecstatic experience I dream of rating a 5. It might be the best whisky I've ever had. It's a dream. You can quote me on that. If you can find it and enjoy Islay, get it immediately. This is beyond exceptional; it's playing the game on a different level. It's so good it makes me forget getting caught in a downpour for the last mile home after picking it up, forcing me to sprint. This scotch is worth sprinting for. (P.S., the mouthfeel is also excellent).

It's been far too long... I need to check my stock and begin reviewing my overdue notes. Let's dive in. I had decided against any more NAS (no age statement) peated whiskies after a series of truly terrible ones were shared with me. Last year's Cairdeas was awful, and Ardbeg had been releasing one disappointing bottle after another... it felt hopeless, but I was told this one was worth trying. Okay folks... this wasn't free... it had better be at least decent! Nose - The aroma isn't helping matters. It's overwhelmingly alcohol-forward. Beneath that, you get a beefy, smoky pork, and a general meaty, wood-fire stove kind of scent, with surprisingly decent PX casks. Not top-tier amazing deals, mind you, but it doesn't taste like the recent trend of charring the oak excessively to achieve a dark color. These casks seem to perform quite well... perhaps PX casks haven't yet succumbed to the race to the bottom in quality I'm witnessing lately. Overall, a blend of young and overly spirited with some genuinely nice elements. Think of a really good 10-year-old cask strength, honestly. Taste - This presents as smoked meat, smoked oak, and then wonderfully sweet sherry (finally, a young whisky that uses SWEET sherry without ruining it). The finish is smoke and peat. The medicinal notes are well-integrated with the PX, creating a sort of iodine mixed with a peculiar fruit dessert, chocolate, and a hint of burnt rubber. Mouthfeel - Oh man, those PX casks provide such a pleasant creamy initial sensation, which then transitions to ash and burnt char as the authentic peated scotch takes over. I have to say, at $106, buy two. It's excellent for that price point if you enjoy the notes I've described. Smoke, fire, oak, wood, more smoke, and lovely sweet sherry casks. However, it's also somewhat young and definitely not without its flaws. Still, it's a big, bold, powerful whisky. I'd rate it around 2.75. It's about as good as or better than some recent Springbank 12s, falling in that category. Quality whisky that excels in many areas, but it's young and spirited. This isn't for most whisky drinkers, but it's good, and if you're a smoke enthusiast, it will be right up your alley. If you're merely tolerant of peat, this is a good entry into well-executed Lagavulin. At the US price of $106, honestly, get it, folks. It's good stuff. While it's priced a bit higher than Cairdeas, this is genuinely one of the most bold and enjoyable releases in years. But if it's outside your budget, you can skip it. It's not a splurge bottle unless you're really looking to get into cask strength peat.

This is my sixth consecutive bottle of Laphroaig Cairdeas. If that doesn't show I enjoy them, then I'll simply state it. Laphroaig excels at cask experimentation and maintains reasonable pricing annually. This was released around the same time as the 10-year Sherry Oak cask, which I believe uses Oloroso. It will be interesting to see the result of PX and an additional 10% or so ABV. Nose: Salty sea spray, seaweed, sea salt, iodine, adhesive bandage, and a tennis ball. Strong campfire/pipe smoke and rubbery peat and ash. Black currant and rich plum. Menthol and wintergreen. Dark chocolate and caramel. Mint. Freshly baked apple pie. Toasted almond and hazelnut. Smoked meats/brisket. Red hot candy. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Palate: Rich dark and mint chocolate, malt, and caramel. Plum, dried red fruit, blackberry, and black currant. The peat smoke, seaweed, sea salt, brine, and iodine are still prominent. Toasted almond and pistachio. Strawberry. Black bean, red pepper chili, and more smoked meat and brisket. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Brine, sea salt, seaweed, peat/campfire smoke, adhesive bandage, iodine. Black currant and plum. Dark chocolate and caramel. Red hot candy. Nuts, bacon, charred meat, chili, and various baking spices and oak. An incredible finish in every aspect. I've rated all six Cairdeas releases a 6/6. This one has the richest profile. The PX sherry contributes a dark fruit character, even more so than the previous year's Port and Wine Cask release. It's a powerhouse at cask strength, hitting all the right notes. A coastal peat monster with a good balance of rich dark fruit, sweet confectionery, nutty, and savory notes. It lacks citrus, which I often find in Islay whiskies. 5/5. I tried this one late, so it cost me $100 instead of the usual $90. Definitely worth the price. I hope they use PX sherry again in the future after this outstanding performance. I believe they have some PX single cask releases. I need to try those. This is magnificent.

Aroma - Neat: At 58.9% ABV, it's quite sharp on the nose, but the PX Sherry still dominates. Sweet brown sugar, dark dried fruits like prune, currant, date, and raisin, with a subtle hint of hardwood smoke (imagine the mildness of smoked salmon, for example). Water Added: This scotch tolerated nearly 3 teaspoons of water before the ethanol's sharpness subsided. After this adjustment and a good 10-minute resting period, I'm detecting a wide range of scents. My initial and most intriguing impression is the fusion of sweetness and smokiness, creating a sweet and savory profile reminiscent of BBQ dry rub, sweet pulled pork, or perhaps bacon jam. To elaborate, I can smell green apple, marmalade, black tea, gentle hardwood smoke, subtle wine tannins, and syrupy Demerara, brown, and dark candy sugars, almost in a rum-cake fashion. Taste - Neat: Again, very intense at cask strength, undiluted. Only the most basic and prominent characteristics are discernible through the heat: smoke and a Demerara sugar-like sweetness. Water Added: Firstly, this is exceptionally good. Arguably one of the most interesting and simply delicious scotches I've ever had. I've always favored sweet and savory combinations, leading me to seek out this particular bottle. It delivers precisely what I anticipated: bittersweet dark chocolate, black tea, brown sugar, dates, raisin, and a noticeable but not overpowering smoke. (Some Islays possess a medicinal level of smoke, but this is refined and gentle, akin to smoked meat). Final Thoughts: It has likely secured a spot in my top 5 scotches of all time. The sweetness from the PX Sherry combined with the Islay smokiness creates a delectable profile that I can only describe as Barbecue. Picture a very smoky, rendered, fatty slice of brisket topped with a dark, dried fruit chutney or sauce, and you'll have an idea of this scotch. Absolutely outstanding. It will be challenging to resist consuming this quickly!

Next in my Laphroaig exploration is a sample of the 2021 Cairdeas PX, kindly shared by a friend. The aroma starts with a blend of fig jam on toasted bread, zesty barbecue sauce on seared pork belly and leather-bound books, then light diesel fuel, mild sea saltiness, dark chocolate mocha and toasted hazelnuts, followed by prunes, cherries jubilee and orange crème brûlée, transitioning to light ginger and polished mahogany with a moderate alcohol burn. The taste has a medium to full body, beginning with chocolate ganache, grilled figs and zesty barbecue sauce on seared pork belly, before a mild spice quickly fades into toasted bread, espresso, mild sea saltiness and freshly lit pipe tobacco, followed by prunes, cherries jubilee and orange sorbet, transitioning to light baking spices, leather-bound books and polished mahogany with a moderate alcohol burn. The finish is long, starting with chocolate ganache over creamy sweet berries that recedes to the background of pipe tobacco, smoky barbecued meats, mild sea saltiness, asphalt, leather-bound books and polished mahogany. This is a smoky chocolate delight that some might find the PX cask overpowering, but for me, it achieves an enjoyable harmony with the rich chocolate and dark berries balancing the savory smoked meats and mild sea saltiness. At about $90, I find it quite reasonably priced and will look to purchase one if I see it. Ratings for the series so far: 10-year cask strength batch 11- 3.75 10-year sherry oak finish- 4.0 Lore- 4.0 2019 Cairdeas Triple Wood- 3.75 2020 Cairdeas Port and Wine - 3.75 2021 Cairdeas PX - 4.0

This cask strength version of the popular travel retail bottling is composed of whiskies aged between five and seven years in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by six months in quarter casks, and then a final two years in European oak. I assume those last casks are PX-seasoned rather than simply used sherry casks, but that's just a guess. Regardless, the original travel retail release was one of my favorite Laphroaigs when I bought a bottle several years ago, so a cask strength version should be a treat. It's surprisingly approachable at the higher proof; the most noticeable effect of the increased alcohol content is enhanced viscosity rather than any harsh spirit burn. The nose is a wonderful combination of coffee, dark chocolate, smoldering wood, plum jam, and Syrup of Figs. Unfortunately, the palate is much more restrained, presenting a flatter version of the nose. If the nose was music heard through high-quality headphones with a wide soundstage, the palate is the same song played on your iPhone's speaker. There's a bold blast of Seville oranges and fig jam, and the finish is a bitter dark chocolate, but I found it challenging to discern other flavors from my small sample. I suspect this whisky needs a bit of water to reach its full potential, so I will reserve a rating until I have another opportunity to taste it. Not that my opinion should matter much - this year's Cairdeas is sure to be a hit with fans and sell out quickly.