Laphroaig Càirdeas 2020 Port & Wine Casks

Smells of sweet and smokey barbecue with a hint of butterscotch. Immediately on the tongue it feels light, but fills the palate with peaty smoke, then rushed into a envelopment of wildflowers, tapering off into a sparkler of black pepper and rosemary.

No water Nose - medicinal peat, dark fruits Taste - peat dominates on the first sip, the fruit and sweetness are hinted at in the background, good oily texture Overall - the nose is more vibrant than the taste, but decent

It is amazing how something with aroma notes like humid clothes, fresh can of Tennis Balls, and tasting notes like tar and seaweed can be SO FREAKING GOOD. Laphroaig Cairdeas Port & Wine Casks is the 2020 edition; "Cairdeas" means friendship in gaelic, and this expression has been matured in ruby port casks, then finished in red wine barrels. Bottled at 52%abv, tawny color. On the nose, your crazy typical Laphroaig peat, with chocolate notes. Fresh can of tennis balls, wet clothes, hay, mountain fog, and one beautiful Dulce de Leche note. On the palate, a little straightforward but really amazing: red fruits, strawberry and spicy chilli. Aftertaste is so good, with tar, salt, pepper, seaweed and medicinal notes. Very peaty, very plastic, very artificial... in a pleasant way. Overall this is a great Laphroaig, not the most complex one, but surely something a peat head will enjoy. The wine casks gave it a red fruitiness, which is a nice spin to it. My score for it is an outstanding 93 over 100. Fully recommended.

Like any Laphroaig, it is smoky on the front with a wonderful sweet finish!

This is a solid dram. It has the signature iodine and salty peat frog is known for with the wine interacting with the base spirit to create a meaty malt that has a juiciness to it. Ripe red fruits, jam hit the palate throughout. And with just a hint of tannin at the end. This developed into a bit of a bitter, dry finish the first time I had this from the neck pour but that’s calmed down a bit. It’s a bit thin and I feel it’s missing something that keeps this from the lofty heights of previous port finished cardeis.

On the nose, I love the dark phenolic notes. It really blends itself that there is a wine influence here. The smoke and peat are subtle, like they don’t want you to forget it’s Laphroaig but it’s not a big part of the overall experience. The palette for me is strong alcohol (52%) initially, but it gives way to a dark red berry - probably fermented grape if I had to guess haha - then opens up into the signature Islay flavor that we love so much. The flavors sits prominently in the back top of my throat. There’s hints of a nut, maybe the almonds I had earlier are bringing that forward. Finish is delightful, consistent on the berry flavors and makes me feel like I drank raspberry juice with the acidity that sets up shack. A sweet overlay of grassiness, like basil, floats among the texture too. Overall? Special Laphroaig is always worth it. Their Cairdeas expressions are gorgeous, will definitely buy another should I come across one.