dhsilv2
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 Cask Strength Quarter Cask Edition
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
June 29, 2020 (edited October 27, 2020)
Cask Strength laphroaig in a different barrel, ok I'll bite.
Nose - Alcohol, peat, creme, coconut water, and a bit of youthful new make spirit. I'm a bit concerned but at the same time nothing is sharp or offensive here, just youthful and the abv is high. Maybe we'll be ok. Also getting some spearmint, oak tannins, vanilla, and the very medicinal element of laphroaig.
Taste - This quarter cask is an explosion of flavors, I get citrus, vanilla, pine, spearmint, every so slightly soured oak, coconut, and as I often get on younger islay some aspartame. Then we get a nice long finish of medical supplies, lingering classic peat, rubber, ash, fake vanilla candy, and this is different but waxy cigarette smoke.
So let me take a step back. I actually really enjoy just drinking this. It's not my favorite and it's not one I'll get more of but I like it. But when I focus on the notes and trying to pull them out, I'm not loving it. It is young and offensively so in some ways. But it's also good in many other ways. It's a whisky to just drink and to get a unique take on big ass abv and peat. I think that's the goal and it does that well.
Anyway I'm not the biggest CS laphroaig fan until you get into the older stuff. So keep that in mind but I'm a 2.0 here. This is very average whisky put together expertly for a niche who wants peat to punch them in the balls, abv to kick them there, and then they just want a different cask maturation so they get a new spin on it. For that group this will be a stand out and frankly I would take this over the triple wood and regular 10 CS if I were in that grouping just as I think this one is a bit more unique. Me, I still like the Fino which I don't think is CS but I do think is more complex, nuanced, and well just a better whisky....but it isn't a better shot to the nuts.
90.0
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@Jan-Case I'm not sure I'd rate them differently. I just think I enjoy the cask finishing here more than the standard 10. Though to be honest, it might really depend on the batch of 10. Keep in mind for me really the 18 and 25 are the Laphroaig sweet spot for me. I'm much more an ardbeg guy when it's young and I'm in the minority where I think southern islay older than younger. But I think my commentary about this one is very fair for those who have different opinions than me. This is imo the better one not because it's "better" but because it's as good but more unique if that makes sense. This is better when you're looking for something new but want that same kind of profile.
Well that is interesting. Especially since you find this one here better then the regular 10y cask strength. How would / did you rate that, when this one here is a 2.0 for you? Im just curious because the 10y CS was my favorite Laphroaig to date and I usually really don’t like the heavy peat Islay family (with the exception of Bunnahabhain and Kilchoman).