Laphroaig Càirdeas 15 Year

Feis Ile 2018 live blogging. Laphroaig Cairdeas 15 is the second “special” 15-year old release from the distillery in the last few years. This one differs from the 200th anniversary edition because it uses exclusively Laphroaig floor-malted barley, as opposed to barley sourced from Port Ellen. That suggests this should be peatier, as Laphroaig peats its own malt to 50-55 ppm compared to the 45 ppm malt they get from Port Ellen (#tourfacts). On the nose, this whisky is medicinal, sweet, and herbal, with faint smoke and some inklings of then tart fruit that characterize mature Laphroaigs. The palate is well-balanced but a little muted: medicinal, tart fruit, chocolate-covered pretzels (salty!). A tad hotter than I expected. That tart or sour fruit flavor continues through a finish long as a May day on Islay (sunset here is 9:45 or so). Peat smoke and tar. Good but (perhaps unfairly) fading a bit compared to other drams from this week. Bonus fact: a swan named Gary lives in the shallows of the bay in front of Laphroaig.

Vanilla smoke aroma with plenty of sweet characteristics. Initial taste fills mouth with pepper or chili peppers like flavor. Generally sweet, little smoke taste except aftertaste. Short finish.

Lækker whisky med sødme, afrundet, let røg,