Laphroaig Cairdeas 2013: Port Wood Edition
Added on Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013 at 02:24 PM
  Bottler: OB
  Age: N/A Type: Scotch
  Vintage: N/A Subtype: Single Malt
  ABV: 51.30 % Region: Islay
  Price: $60 Availability: Specialty Stores
The third release of Cairdeas spent 8 years in bourbon casks followed by 14 months in port pipes.
Member Ratings and Notes
Sku
 

The nose has peat with burning plastic (though not in a bad way, if that makes any sense).  The palate is smoky campfire embers, and the finish is lots of smoke and a touch of acid.  I don't get much in the way of port influence on this.  It's a very solid peater that's very drinkable and pakcs a good, smoky punch. 

 

 

Fuji
 

Burning plastic, rubber and new asphalt. Loads of medicinal  peat and  hints of dry flowers. Big hit of peat on the palate with charred smokey BBQ meats.  Sticks to the palate and finishes with fresh shaved cinnamon.

 

The port wood influence is very light.  The big peat smoke is center stage and likely masks some of the port wood funk that normally distracts me.  

Dan
 
Deep brown-orange amber color. I really loved the nose which has wet-sweet BBQ sauce, pepper and other grilling type aromas. Very pleasent and enticing. The palate was very sharp peated-oak, which goes to the edge but doesn't fall over in terms of bitterness. Was a little underwhelming from the nose, but still enjoyable. The finish is excellent and has a nice aftertaste and long draw. I noticed that I thought air did not help this one and I preferred it right out of the gate. B+/A- [12/11/13]
Josh
 

NOSE
Complex nose that starts out with smoked meat (baconish) and burnt rubber. That sounds awful, but it’s not. Let it open, and while it’s a touch medicinal, there are notes of raw sugar, oak, port (of course), vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, hint of citrus and the list could go on and on.

 

PALATE
Like with the nose the smoke comes on strong, but it is accompanied by a good amount of port sweetness, but not the port flavor. That sits a bit more in the back behind an overall saltiness to it that reminds me of a smoked cured ham. Underneath that savory smoke is a whole bouquet of dark fruit (grapes, strawberries and sugared plums), vanilla, cinnamon, a bit of cardamom and again it just keeps going. It’s like the giving tree of flavor… just wish there was a bit more port.

 

FINISH
Smoke, wood, port, and iodine slowly move to a velvety sweet smoke on a long finish.

 

Love this whisky so much. 

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