Laphroaig Cairdeas needs no introduction at this point. This is my fifth year of Cairdeas, 2016-2020, and I’ve loved all of them before this. I expect nothing less of the Port & Wine Cask release. Nose: Classic Laphroaig. Brine, seaweed, sea salt, idodine, tennis ball, campfire smoke, and peat. Bandaid. Dark chocolate. Ballpark pretzel. Hazelnut. Lemon and a huge grapefruit citrus note. A salsa note. Blackberry and raspberry. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Palate: Brine, seaweed, sea salt, campfire smoke, and iodine. Bandaid and tennis ball. Salted caramel and dark chocolate. Some mint chocolate as well. Juicy plum. Lemon and grapefruit. Some candy: black licorice and Twizzler. Toasted marshmallow, vanilla, and graham cracker. Add the chocolate from before and you’ve got s’mores. Tobacco smoke and ash. Black bean, red pepper chili. Smoked brisket and other meats. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Finish: Long. Dark chocolate. Sea salt, seaweed, and brine. Campfire smoke, tire rubber, tobacco smoke, bandaid. More smoked meat. Black bean, red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Amazing. Easily one of the best Cairdeas releases—maybe the best. I’ll have to sit with this one a while longer to make that sort of statement. Either way, this is fantastic. The port definitely makes itself known despite the massive power of the Laphroaig peat. I’m not sure what the other wine casks are, but the combination of sweet and peat is impeccable. This one makes the 5-star club. An absolute gem. It’s a beast of a whisky at 52%, yet boasts a great deal of nuance and complexity. Every element that makes this whisky what it is elevates it—the casks and the peat make for an incredibly synergistic combination. It’s impressive and powerful. My only complaint is that this is a one-off. Well done, Laphroaig.