Laphroaig Cairdeas
Laphroaig Cairdeas- In the world of Islay whiskies, none rate higher than this family of great depth and variety. The term itself means friendship in Scottish Gaelic and it is a special release annually . There is a festival on the island each spring called Feis IIe and the special bottles are the center of attention. Our featured malt has no age statement and usually that suggests a bit of harshness , but not here. The Islay profile is fully present with huge peat smoldering on the nose , absolutely wonderful. The mouthfeel is dominated by sweet fruits and spices from the Port and Madeira cask aging. My guess is several months in each and the spirit picked up some added golden color in the process. At 104 proof , it’s a muscular dram sure to please the educated palate. There is a brininess in the taste which is enhanced by the oak barreling where all the magic started. And the seaside location no doubt has its influence too. I found that adding a few drops of water, not my usual method, improved the experience noticeably. There are not many opportunities to get a bottle of this quality so get crackin’ ……….I rate this an 8.5 on the snob-o-meter, make sure to share it with your best friends, remember the naming concept?
The Single Malt Snob 