The Cairdeas line is quickly becoming one of my favorite lines in all of whiskey. The 2017 Quarter Cask Cask Strength is one of my all-time favorites, and I'm quite liking this 2018 Fino Cask. Let's just jump right in. Nose: Seaweed, sea salt, ash, and peat smoke jump out of the glass. Campfire smoke. Iodine, band-aid, and ash. Tennis ball. Vanilla, honey, and butterscotch sweet notes. Almond and hazelnut. A bit of lemon, apricot, and pear. Caramel, brown sugar, nougat, and milk chocolate. Soft pretzel. It's primarily briny and salty, but there is also some secondary smokiness and sweetness. Palate: More sea salt and brine, campfire smoke, ash, and iodine. Now with some smoked brisket. Toffee, malt, vanilla, sugar cookie, honey, and butterscotch. Dark chocolate cake. The Fino cask starts to come through here. Some plum, red grape, cranberry, golden raisin, and poundcake. There's also lemon and orange citrus, as well as pear, apple, and apricot. Big ashy notes at the tail end of the palate. Like waking up the morning after a campfire in the woods. Superb. Finish: Salt, cinnamon, black pepper. Classic black bean, red pepper chili note. Nice and spicy as a high-proof Scotch should be. More of the orchard and citrus fruit. Vanilla and caramel sweetness. Long, phenomenal finish. Awesome stuff. The nose is a bit reserved for a Laphroaig, but is quality nonetheless. The palate and finish are as brash and compelling as any Islay malt I've had. Top mark for this one. Edit: I grabbed a second bottle of this and find the nose to be significantly more compelling. If you force me to choose, I'd give the nod to the 2017 Quarter Cask Cask Strength. But my preference is marginal. The fact is that this is a spectacular whisky. 5 stars. Stay tuned for my review of the 2016 Marsala Cask release. Well done, Laphroaig.