Laphroaig Càirdeas 2023 White Port & Madeira Casks

I've purchased this annually for three years now that my whisky spending limit has gone up. This means I have the Warehouse 1, the PX Cask, and now this, the White Port & Madeira Casks. I haven't checked my previous scores, so I'm unsure of my prior ratings, but the PX Cask was amazing, the Warehouse 1 was great, and the White Port sits between them. This is where numerical ratings might not reflect the reality, which is why I'm avoiding them. What did I score the PX? Was the Warehouse 1 rated appropriately? Is this score between those two? Perhaps the PX was 4.75 and the Warehouse 1 was 4.25, and this one is 4.5? I'm not sure it matters. I opened the other two bottles the year they were released. I opened this one just last week, in 2024. A little late, and without company. That feels incorrect. My understanding is Cairdeas means friendship? Oh well. I'll share it soon enough, once a friend who enjoys whisky visits. But for now, by myself, I'll put down these thoughts. Some initial impressions. I'd like to compare this blind to something comparable to confirm it distinctly smells like a Laphroaig. It has a saline, iodine aroma, like fresh sea salt after ocean water has evaporated, leaving only sediment behind. The White Port/Madeira adds a sweet note, almost as if a very fine, high-quality dry vermouth has blessed the Laphroaig in the glass, like a subtle mist of it is present, as if a 1920s heavy drinker had merely breathed the dry vermouth into the glass. It almost has a gin-finished-in-Islay-casks scent to the nose. Maybe that's just me. Oh, right, the peat smoke runs through it all. You can forget the obvious, but it is a Laphroaig. On the palate, it's sweet initially, with vanilla, peaches, and cream. The peat is still there alongside it, and if you're not used to it, that's probably all you'll taste (my wife said it smelled like all the other peated scotches you've given me, so it might be overpowering for the uninitiated...and it's around 102 proof, so it's potent). There's a grassy, sweet flavor on the mid-palate, like roasted asparagus with a hint of a sweeter dressing, not balsamic, but something similar that I can't quite recall. I'm really enjoying the blend of sweet and savory that isn't a sherry sweetness but something different entirely, more of a dry sweetness that I suspect comes from the white port, though I've never tried white port. The finish is full of smoke and spice, with very little sweetness remaining and a lingering salty note that's almost umami. I might be mistaken, but it's a delicious drink, and I only wish I were sharing it with fellow Islay enthusiasts because I know it would spark a good conversation. Yes, this is excellent, truly excellent. I think I only preferred the 2021 PX Cairdeas because it met my expectations more closely, whereas this one is quite different and a bit outside my experience, not having encountered white port or madeira to grasp their influence on the Laphroaig. Overall, it's one that Laphroaig fans should try, and those who dislike Islay should definitely avoid it. I'd assume that's obvious given the cost, but with so many people leaving reviews like, "Ugh, peat!" I wouldn't put it past someone to lower the score because they feel the need to comment when their input isn't needed. Then again, in today's social media landscape, nobody truly believes their opinion is unnecessary anymore. Go ahead.

Review #093 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 52.3% Details: No Age Statement, finished in 1st-fill white port and 2nd-fill Madeira casks Tasted after: first tasting Appearance (no score): Chestnut hue. Swirling leaves a thin film of beads on the glass that slowly merge into a thick line; the legs form slowly. Nose: 18/20 Barbecue smoke combines with a fruit medley of sweet notes, including kiwi, red apple, peaches, and banana. There are also notes of vanilla, burnt croissants, adhesive bandages, and hints of asphalt and lemon zest. Palate: 33/40 Very sweet, with only the slightest trace of peat smoke. Honey and grapefruit are prominent, complemented by white grapes, lemon zest, a pinch of black pepper, and a touch of salt brine. Finish: 34/40 A long finish. The characteristic Laphroaig profile emerges, starting with a significant puff of peat smoke and sea salt. There's a brief hint of adhesive bandages as the flavor becomes progressively saltier, then a touch of lemon peel before concluding with black tea and ashes. With Water: A few drops of water introduce some iodine to the nose, soften the intense sweet flavors on the palate, and amplify the peat smoke intensity in the finish. Total: 85/100 Final thoughts: This is a very different Laphroaig from what I'm used to, and I believe they did a commendable job of harmonizing the finish with the distillate's original character. I was surprised by how easily the fruit-forward influence from the finishing casks was diminished by just a few drops of water, so I would likely recommend enjoying this without dilution. I can still find some of these locally at retail prices around $100, making it a great value purchase I plan to invest in. Many thanks to my brother for the sample. Price: gifted sample Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Writing this after the 2022 Warehouse 1 release in the Cairdeas series. That was a decent whisky, but definitely the biggest letdown in the line. That's not to say much, as nearly every other one since 2016 has been a favorite, but that one just didn't measure up. This series has given me some of the finest peated malts aged in wine casks, so seeing another one like this is welcome. Nose: Peat and woodsmoke. Brine, sea salt, ocean vegetation, and antiseptic. Medical dressing. Playground ball. Embers. Smoked protein. Waterpipe smoke. Dark plum. Blackberry and black currant. Fire-grilled pineapple. Sweet bell pepper. Sugar cookie. Palate: Salty candy and stadium pretzel. Sea salt, brine, and ocean vegetation. Grapefruit. Mint chocolate and rich chocolate. Peanut butter and hazelnut. Sweetened, salted caramel. Black bean, spicy red pepper. Vanilla. Grapefruit. Sugar cookie. Plum, orange, and tangerine. Finish: Browned almond, macadamia, and hazelnut. Sweetened, salted caramel, chewy candy, and milk chocolate. Pineapple and plum. Black bean, spicy red pepper. Sea salt, ocean vegetation, woodsmoke, antiseptic, embers. Medical dressing. Red and white pepper. Lingering finish. This is a slight improvement over Warehouse 1. The wine cask interacts with the peat, giving the usual Laphroaig character a hint of tropical fruit. There's also some deep, rich fruit, but not nearly as much as anticipated given the other wine cask-aged Cairdeas releases and the barrels chosen for this one. They keep the price the same. $90 again, and it's a good value. This scores well for its price-to-quality ratio. Maybe I've become more discerning over time, but this would rank second-to-last among my Cairdeas bottlings, just above 2022 but below the 2016-2021 releases. I considered all of those previous ones excellent, so it's understandable this doesn't quite reach that level. And this was much closer to the other bottlings than it was to the 2022 release – I don't want to give the wrong impression. Perhaps the combination of casks used muddied the intended profile. It's slightly unfocused. Nevertheless, it's very well made. It reminds me of the 2016 Madeira cask expression, which is appreciated. 4.75/5.

I waited over a year for the 2022 release, but I snagged this one the first day it appeared locally. I don't know much about white port, but madeira-finished whiskies usually please me, so I was anticipating this bottle. The aroma presents more fruit than is typical for Laphroaig, though it's not overpowering. There's a hint of citrus and a touch of green apple. As it rests, some berry and cream notes emerge. Familiar elements like brine and a mild medicinal iodine are present. The sour apple and citrus fruit seem to be the most prominent characteristics for me. The taste mirrors the aroma for the most part, but the peat is much more assertive. Brine and iodine lead the way, accompanied by an ashy smoke. The sweet vanilla found in the 2022 Warehouse 1 is significantly reduced, but still detectable. There's a slight meatiness, reminiscent of smoked ham, which I typically associate more with Ardbeg than Laphroaig. The finish develops a bit of a tannic quality before the smoke fades over a medium to long duration. This expression's finish seems more subtle, especially when contrasted with the 2021's heavy PX influence. I believe Laphroaig enthusiasts will appreciate this one, but those seeking a pronounced finish might be a little let down. I've become quite a Laphroaig fan, so I'm enjoying it, though I think I actually prefer the 2022, which I almost didn't purchase.

Last dram of the year! If you're reading this, cheers! I hope and pray the upcoming year brings you more peace, stability, and love than this challenging year offered us all! Nose: buttery/salty soft pretzel, distant active peat fire, coastal mist, earthy coastal woods, honeyed and dried apricot, sweet white wine. Palate: after an evening with very little to no peat, I'm getting a strong, punchy, and immediately noticeable phenolic peat here, which I've been wanting. Perhaps I need to take more breaks from Islay expressions occasionally. Slightly sweet, with golden syrup, dried stonefruit. A pleasant maritime saltiness as it moves to the finish. It has nice malty/bready characteristics. Finish: lingering, long, slightly ashy, smoldering peat, with a nice addition of dried stonefruit. Good strong drying oak.

Aroma: definitely picking up the bready/yeasty soft pretzel note. Getting hints of cinnamon and ginger. Caramelized sugar comes through, as well as hints of the charred orange peel that Laphroaig suggests in their notes. The green apple note they suggest is subtle but emerges more as it opens up. Vanilla creme brulee. Caramelized peaches emerge more as it opens as well. Taste: honey, citrus (orange and lemon, experiencing both peel and fruit), a surprisingly robust oakiness. Slight peach. Substantial sea spray/salinity. Classic Laphroaig peat weaves throughout. Iodine smoke, dark chocolate and hints of caramel as it transitions to the finish. As I sit with it more, I detect that hazelnut note, very unique and pleasing. Finish: smoky/hazy wet peat fire, creosote. Hints of sea salted caramel. Expected oaky tannins