The first Laphroaig Cairdeas (“friendship” in Gaelic) came out in 2008 and has been an annual release since then. The 2020 Cairdeas Port & Wine represents a way to introduce wine finishes to a smoky scotch, something that is not always successful given the strong elements of a typical Laphroaig. To solve this, part of the initial maturation was done in ex-bourbon casks and part in second-fill ruby Port barriques. These are then combined to finish in red wine casks. Specifics about the time spent in each process is not available but that is relatively common in No Age Statement whiskies.
Distillery: Laphroaig
Region: Islay
Age: NAS
Strength: 52%
Price: $84.99
Maturation: Ruby Port barriques and red wine casks
Location: Port Ellen
Nose: Brine, smoke, brown sugar, syrup, raisin, peat (citrus, cucumber, cilantro, orange, pear with water)
Palate: Spice, Lebanon baloney, char, sugar, smoke, mushroom
Finish: Peat, smoke, sour, citrus
Comments: A few drops of water are a fun experiment. Letting it wait in your glass a bit to oxidize is also recommended.
Adam – While my appreciation for the Cairdeas line varies from year to year based on what the offering is, when they nail it I am a fan. I’m always a little skeptical about wine finishes on smoky whiskies but the Cairdeas 2020 does the job. It is easy to find the wine influences here, adding a raisin-y sweetness on the nose and added complexity on the palate, despite the normal smoke and peat elements ever-present. I’m surprised by how unctuous it is, the sweet smoke reminiscent of grilled meat and even something akin to mushrooms. Fascinating. I also love the vegetal and citrus notes that pop up on the nose and finish with a few drops of water, pushing the smoke and brine out of the way for a minute to let the normal secondaries have a moment to shine. What a delight.
Kate – This nose evokes associations with fruit-soaked desserts. The peat is very vegetal to me. The longer this sits in the glass, the zestier it gets. With water, this is like a Pims. I like that the Cairdeas 2020 has a long finish without being super warm.
Bill – I want a minced pie to go with the Cairdeas 2020. That’d be amazing. Much smoother with a few drops of water.
With water, this is like a Pims.
Henry – Equal parts sweet orange and fresh cut peat, battling for prominence on the nose. With a little water, that umami flavor comes out. With edges of peat smoke around this core of the perfect balance of sweet and savory, even the elements of char that I usually avoid, it never pushes too much. The finish is classic Islay and reminds you not to rush. This is a whisky that tells you to slow down and enjoy life, otherwise you’ll miss something. I like the whisky tale of sweetness at the end.
Ben – The Cairdeas 2020 is exactly what people who say they hate scotch are drinking. But it’s all the things we love. Yet when you hear people talk about bad experiences with scotch, especially Islays, the qualities of this Cairdeas are what they mean. With water, the flavors melt down your tongue after an initial burst.
