zvanwink
Reviewed
December 27, 2016 (edited August 14, 2019)
What an excellent entry into the Cairdea line--particularly as the standout in an otherwise long chain of secondary casked editions. This exemplifies all that is essentially Laphroaig and nothing that isn't: rich notes of green apples, vanilla, seaweed, fish oil, brine, and stone fruits on the nose shift, quite pointedly, to a palate of bacon, sardines, lemongrass, tar, cilantro, pear, and marmalade. The finish--yet still--has its own unique blend of apricots, campfire, kelp, and a bit of coffee. It's full bodied and the finish lasts for days--savory and smoky with lingering mouth-coating salt that makes you feel like you are breathing the sea air on the very shores of Islay. The only thing that's missing are the nutty and oily characters that many Laphroaigs get. Oh, and the finish isn't just smooth--it has all the burn you want from the peat and none of it that isn't.