This was a blind sample from a dear friend. I had no idea what I was getting into, except a quick sniff indicated there was definitely peat, and the ruddy straw color lent the impression that a refill sherry cask or recharred cask was involved.

---

Whisky: Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 Edition

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 51.5%

Cask: Oak

Age: NAS (Bottled 2015)

Notes: The aroma was acrid and medicinal, like stepping into a room of tiger balm and muscle rubs— a bit of Vick’s vapor rub. Camphor and menthol with a hint of clove oil to clear the sinuses with the aroma of resinous wood, road work, and fruits further in. Green wood smoke and burning incense lingered with mentholated tobacco and the whiff of a charcoal grill being lit outside— notes that grew more prominent each time I sat with this. Medium-bodied and a touch syrupy, the flavor profile featured more charcoal grilled fruits and diesel generators, while the herbal muscle rubs and medicines were banished to the background. I imagined a beach barbecue fun fair with fruits and meats on the grill and generators powering bouncy castle pumps. The finish was medium-length with a touch of soot and caramelized fruity sugars.

---

Score: 8 (86)

Mental Image: Summer Fair at the Beach Park

Conclusion: After tasting this as a blind sample, I guessed it was a young-ish Laphroaig that had been proofed down slightly to around 50%. The medicinal and acrid elements, as well as the emergent tropical fruits, all put me in mind of Laphroaig. I know of no other distillery that puts together quite the same combination except Bowmore, and this lacked the cleaner salinity I expect from it.

It turns out I can be right from time to time! This was a Laphroaig and a great one at that— probably the best Cairdeas I have had.