It’s been a good long while since I’ve had a Laphroaig and it’s high time I corrected that. Thankfully I have this sample of the latest Cairdeas release, the 2019 Triple Wood Cask Strength, that was sent to me by the one and only @LeeEvolved. Bottled at an intimidating 59.5% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of dark amber. Strong sherry notes on the nose at first that mask the typical Laphroaig profile, but that medicinal peaty goodness comes through soon after. Smoky sherry with some strong oaky notes and a trace of menthol. Rich but not all that sweet. The sherry begins to dominate again with plums, cherries and dark berries. A mild nuttiness with that classic Laphroaig medicinal notes coming in like iodine and bandaids. Vanilla, toffee, lemon custard and salted caramels. Water brings down the peat and lets the sherry shine, though both aspects are subdued. The palate is intense, hot and rich. Super peaty, ashy with charred oak. The sherry notes are there but almost completely hidden by the heat and peat. Salty and peppery. Dark cherries and cherry pie. Water takes the intensity down considerably but it is still very peaty with plenty of sherry and cherries. A medium-full bodied mouthfeel that is hot, oily, mouth coating and then turns dry. The finish is medium long to long, thick, sherry richness, peaty, cherries, and dry. While I feel that this cask strength version is better than the standard 48% version, I think it’s just a bit too much. Somewhere in the 52-55% range would have really been the sweet spot. Great sherry flavors with a nice peaty backbone. While I can’t say it’s better than the 2013, 2014 or 2018 Cairdeas releases, it’s oh so much better than the 2017 release. Probably on par with the 2016. So I’m going to give this a 4.25 and say that if you can handle cask strength whiskies then definitely try to find one of these. Cheers.