Laphroaig Càirdeas 2021 Pedro Ximenez Casks

I have finally found it. The first (and to date, only) whisky that I prefer in original form versus cask strength. I adore the Laphroaig PX cask. It is phenomenal. Dreamy. I won’t repeat my review, but it still sits in my top 5 despite my palate and budget having grown significantly since I typed those words of happiness into existence. This CS version shares the same notes and flavors…plum, earth, hay, iodine (band aide), peat, brine, et al, but the balance is off. Like, General Motors makes both the Cadillac CTS-V and the Chevrolet Corvette, and until 2019 they shared a chasssis and powertrain but were tuned and marketed much differently. The Corvette is unpleasant and coarse during most general motoring, but the stiff suspension shines in specialty events, whereas the CTS is a very good car that excels in most places, all of the time, and is only bested by the ‘vette on a track. Same applies here. This is good Scotch. All the flavors are there, but you have to hunt for them, you have to dig through the extra punch of ABV to pick them out, and the standard PX presents them on a platter for easy enjoyment. It’s more work than is necessary, and the rewards are minimal (and fleeting) in comparison to the effort. Please, do grab it if you find it because it’s great, but don’t pass up the OG, because honestly, I believe it’s actually better.

Nose: pecan, caramel, wood, Heim bacon burnt ends. Palate: have you ever taken some apples, strawberries, peaches, chocolate bark, and pecans, wrapped them in foil and put them in a wood smoker for a few hours? Grilled peaches, molasses, oaky tannins, rich rich rich

The first five I’ve ever given to a scotch, but this one tastes like it was distilled just for me. Campfire smoke, dried fruit, toffee, herbs, and the expected brine. The mouthfeel is smoother than it should be at cask-strength ABV. The color is the lovely dark orange of a hearth fire burning low. An extraordinary dram.

Nose- campfire explosion sweet iodine fruit. Its fun to continue smell this one. It sort of makes memories happen. Taste- Sweet sherry campfire with something roasting and it rides nice past your lips and down your throat. Numbing and briney def multi layered. Light ash. Finish- the sherry campfire heat slowly fades into the sunset. Numb Fun to drink, will try again.

The reviews by @Jose-Massu-Espinel and @DjangoJohnson put me over the top in deciding whether to buy this one - really great reviews, guys. Smoked strawberries, band-aid, iodine, salty bacon, grape jelly smothered on a charcoal briquette. Syrupy. Decadently sweet and offensively peaty at the same time. Peppery heat on the finish, lingering fruit after the burn subsides. I thought Ardbeg Uigeadail was the bee's knees, but it's now been relegated to the shins. Not a total surprise though, as I generally prefer the Laphroaig profile to Ardbeg, although I wish the 10 was bottled at 46% like Ardbeg 10. There's nothing subtle about this, it's a flavor bomb of peat and thick PX sherry, but it's quite an experience. I'm really going to enjoy all of this one and will probably be disappointed that by the time I finish it I won't be able to replace it. But as this is only the first of the Cairdeas series I've tried, I'll hope the next release I find is just as good. Thanks to the aforementioned fellas for the nudge to pick this one up. Update: nearing bottle-kill, it seems like the peat has gone more ashy, which has sustained over more than one tasting. Dropping back a quarter point to close this one out.