This review of the 2017 Cairdeas comes via a sample from @LeeEvolved and is my first review of 2018. For this years release Laphroaig chose a cask strength version of their ever popular Quarter Cask. Bottled at 57.2% ABV, and without a doubt it is non chill filtered and natural color. This is a brilliant golden straw. The nose has all of the typical Laphroaig goodness. Medicinal notes of iodine, and bandaids, just more in your face. Tar, asphalt, cold ashes, soot and smoke from a bonfire that was doused with seawater. Brine, seaweed and salty sea air. It’s sweet and fruity as well. Vanilla, dried apricots, almonds and marzipan. Oak sanded smooth and sawdust. Vanilla buttercream and custard. Caramel apples with a little menthol. After some extended time some light sherry notes appear. Some water reveals a citrusy note and brings out more oak and some ginger. A hot arrival on the palate. Oaky at first, but the peat quickly takes over in the form of smoke and ashes. There is a general fruity sweetness but at cask strength I’m having a hard time discerning what those fruits are. The oak comes back in a big way, like chewing on a bourbon and scotch soaked wood chip. Vanilla and some toffee. Pepper and lots of spice. Water brings out more vanilla and custard, but does little else unless you add so much water that it dulls the palate into submission. A full bodied mouthfeel, very oily and mouthwatering. The finish is long, spicy, oaky, medicinal and dry. I’m sort of torn on this one. It’s Laphroaig, my first love affair with scotch, and the QC popped my Islay cherry, but this is just too powerful for me to enjoy straight out of the bottle. 48% seems to be the right strength for this whisky and adding 9+% didn’t really do much for it. Water helped, but I really hate the NEED for water when enjoying a dram. Still, it’s Laphroaig, and I can’t hate on them. A strong 4. Thanks again for the generous sample lee. Cheers