Laphroaig Càirdeas 2023

Laphroaig has been creating Càirdeas (Gaelic for “friendship”) expressions since 2008, experimenting with with cask finishes or cask strength versions of older offerings. The Càirdeas 2023 is unique in that it combines two different casks not often seen in whisky maturation. Three quarters of the scotch is aged in second-fill Madeira casks. Madeira is a Portuguese island famous for producing fortified wine. The remaining quarter of the scotch is matured in first-fill port casks, the majority of which were of white port. Port is a fortified wine from the Duoro valley of Portugal, and white port uses white wine grapes instead of red. Therefore, this Càirdeas represents influences from multiple Portugeuse fortified wines. 

Distillery: Laphroaig
Region: Islay
Age: NAS
Strength: 52.3%
Price: $94.99
Maturation: ex-White Port and ex-Madeira casks
Location: Port Ellen
Nose: Brine, smoke, peat, honey, butterscotch, toffee, caramel, grape
Palate: Smoke, sweet, peat, tobacco, pine tar
Finish: Lemon, smoke, grape

Comments: Water is not recommended, as it strips the complexity out of the spirit, even if it does dull the edge.

Adam – The brine is pretty strong on the nose, moreso than I remember from other offerings. After that dissapates, some sweetness arises to dance with the peat, almost a honey undoubtedly from the cask finishes. Almost entirely missing from the nose, the palate of the Càirdeas 2023 opens with a bloom of smoke, followed by some sweet peat and tobacco. Somehow the finish sneaks up on you while you’re still enjoying the palate, so seamless is the transition. A puff of the smoke remains, along with the gentlest citrus, leaves you not overburdened but almost refreshed and eager for more. 

Kate – It reminds me of the buttery popcorn jelly beans. Initially iodine on the nose but as it sits you can smell the butter and a sweetness (like making fresh toffee) mixed with a clean smoke. There is a vague sweetness buried in the nose. It is very dry, smoky (liked burnt meat), brine, ash, and heavy on the palate whereas the finish allows the ash taste to dissipate and the vegetal, sweet, and bright fruit flavor to become apparent. The heaviness lifts and becomes more pleasant. Adding water makes it lose the complexity we liked. Water brings out the less appealing qualities of this scotch.

Henry – Four point nose: brine, peat, honey, and smoke. Big smoke with a hint of sweetness on the palate. Lemon bar sweetness quickly takes the lead to the finish. Were it not for the sweet, KC-style barbeque smokiness, the char on the finish would bother me. But as it is, it’s a fun and smoky dram with a big Laphroaig signature.

Ben – The palate reminds me of a charcuture board, dry and sweet. I like the way the Càirdeas 2023 feels on my tongue. I like this, I do. I’m not going to run out and buy a bottle but I’ll drink it anytime. I like the char, I like the ash.

Bill – The Càirdeas 2023 is a clean scotch. Heavy on the smoke for me, but dissipates quickly. Iodine and brine, as per Laphroaig. Very light fruit on the nose – a little apricot and a little starfruit-ish. The second nose is much sweeter, with more of the sugary/ caramel/ toffee coming out. Long finish, evolving. It’s smoke fading to sweet and then fading back to a dry, which pulls the smoke back out again for me. This will keep me interested all night long.

Mike – Wine arrives right at the beginning of the palate for me, which evolves into a smokey ash.

Evelyn – Smelling it after tasting, it is more grassy. The palate is big smoke. Smells like a tobacoo drying barn.

Sam – The nose eventually turns sweet but you have to get past all the astringent notes first. Nose was very astringent and medicinal. After it opened up a bit there was just a hint of sweet white port. On the tongue it was like the very end of an Acid Kuba Kuba cigar. Ashy and slightly sweet. The more I drank, the more it was like licking an ashtray.