Laphroaig Càirdeas 2019 Triple Wood Cask Strength

Makes me happy

This remains a robust peated scotch even after adding a few drops of water. Plenty of oak, with notes of black licorice and a touch of vanilla sweetness. Lots to contemplate on each successive sip.

I remember buying a bottle of Laphroaig Triple Wood, not liking it at first, and then figuring out halfway through that with a few drops of water it was strangely compelling. Well fast forward a few years after I've had a string of cask-finished Laphroaigs I've come to love (Brodir, 2020 Cairdeas, PX Casks, Sherry Oak), and I was pretty excited to see this 2019 Cairdeas at my local store. This is basically a cask strength Quarter Cask with a light sherry finish. This is a big boy, and it's delicious. Nose has smoke of course, and a tiny bit of dried fruit, plus walnut and definitely menthol. Palate has some red fruit immediately, good viscosity, and a finish of smoke, pepper and menthol. Finish hangs around with smoke and menthol. Really enjoying this one. I've really come around on Laphroaig. I'm irrationally excited about the PX Cask Cask Strength Cairdeas release. Getting a couple of those bad boys if I can.

Nose - sweet peat, brine, ash, rubber, seaweed, iodine, cocoa, berry, mint, fig, plum, apricot, vanilla bean, rich oak, leather, tobacco, caramel, raisin toast, cinnamon, black pepper, smoked meat, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - sweet peat, cherry, raspberry, brine, vanilla, salted caramel, iodine, dark chocolate, anise, mint, plum, ash, tobacco, green apple, leather, smoked meat, raisin, pretzel, sweet oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, moderate to high, finishing medium long with sweet peat, chocolate, and dark fruit flavors. Having never tried the regular Triple Wood, I was surprised by the sweetness here. The classic Laphroaig profile is present, but the pricklier aspects are subdued by rich chocolate, sherried fruit, and baking spices. Adding a bit of water reveals more of those sweet fruit and BBQ notes, and I recommend trying that with this one. Overall, this is yet another solid release from Laphroaig. It seems that my ratings are stuck on 4.0 for most of them. So, I’ve had many great Laphroaigs, but none I’d consider fantastic yet. I’m holding out hope that I’ll come across one that amazes me. Until then, I’ll happily drink the ones I’ve tried most days.

The 2016-2018 releases established Cairdeas as a contender for my favorite product line in all of whisk(e)y. All 3 were stunning in different ways. I haven't had the standard release Triple Wood yet, but I loved the way that the 2017 took an already solid Quarter Cask to astonishing heights. Let's hope this one delivers at cask strength as well. Nose: The Laphroaig campfire smoke is there, but pretty muted compared to other releases. Th sea salt, brine, and seaweed are still there. Saltwater taffy, salted caramel, and pretzel rod. lots of salt. Smoked meats and chili, but again, it's quieter than I'd expect of Laphroaig. If you give it some time in the glass, these notes and the smoke start to pop out. Lime, grapefruit, and strawberry in the background. Vanilla and blackberry jam. Very nice peat bomb, with a twist. Palate: An interesting combination of smoky peat and sweet notes. Campfire smoke and iodine hit heavy. Lemon citrus, sea salt, brine, and seaweed. Smoked meat and black bean red pepper chili. Beyond the layers of standard Laphroaig goodness is some artificial candied sweetness. Strawberry, salted caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla, blackberry jam. Cinnamon red hots and more than a pinch of black pepper. Fantastic. Finish: Hot as hell, in a good way. You get just enough smoke from the campfire not to be uncomfortable. Strawberry and blackberry. Some citrus. All of the briny notes and then it's oak, cinnamon , and a ton of black pepper. Long as the day. It's a powerful whisky for certain. Tasty and interesting to boot. I like it a lot. But, it's a bit disjointed. Some of the notes just don't fit together. The transitions are rough. To be fair, I'm grading this against 2016-2018. It's inferior to all of the above. I set the bar high, and it didn't quite reach. But let's be clear, it's an exceptionally good whisky. At $75, it's a damn good value. If you're a Laphroaig fan, grab this. I need to give the standard Triple Wood a go after tasting this. I'll give this another go before I finalize this review, only because this line has been nothing but stellar. At any rate, this is a damn good drop.

Leather and vanilla. Smoked stone fruits (peaches, cherries) and ozone. Bog water, antiseptic finish