It’s greatest hits time for Laphroaig with its latest Càirdeas special edition, a whisky which celebrates 30 years of the Friends of Laphroaig program by revisiting two beloved Laphroaig releases from the past: 2019’s Triple Wood and 2021’s PX Cask. It is “married together by Master Blender, Calum Fraser, as an aged statement [10 years old] celebrating the very first Càirdeas expressions.”

Specifically, “the spirit is matured twice — first in over-charred first and second-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and quarter casks before being finished in PX casks.”

Let’s give this release a whirl.

To kick things off, this is one of the darkest hued expressions of Laphroaig I think I’ve ever seen. A heavy PX sherry character immediately fills the nostrils as soon as it’s poured into a glass: rich notes of toasted walnuts and hazelnuts, backed by ample barrel char, dry leather, and a significant punch of smoky peat. Understated notes of dried, black fruits add a note of raisiny sweetness, with overtones of dark chocolate.

On the palate, the script is flipped. Those hinted-at fruit notes are immediately dominant and, surprisingly, quite sweet, perking up the palate right away with plump raisins, figs, and some cherry notes. Laphroaig can often be fruity, but this is a surprise — almost juicy. Again, it’s the PX sherry in the mix that does the heavy lifting, layering all that dried fruit with notes of dark chocolate, gingerbread, and mulling spices, followed by a sharp punch of peat — big, but not bruising. The mix of fruit and smoke works wonderfully well, the finish a lovely little mix of both sides of the equation, clinging to fig and date as the conclusion fades away.

All told, it’s another top-tier Cairdeas release that’s worth seeking out.

104.8 proof.

A- / $110 (700ml) / laphroaig.com [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]

Laphroaig Cairdeas Cask Favourites 10 Years Old 2024

$110

9

Rating

9.0/10

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