More to Enjoy
- Raided Score: 90
- Publication: Drinkhacker
- Excerpt: The heavy medicinality of many Laphroaigs is largely absent here. Depending on your point of view, that may be a good thing or a bad.
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- Raided Score: 93
- Publication: Robb Report
- Excerpt: The result of combining these two cask types is a fantastic single malt that really brings a new perspective to the Laphroaig palate without completely losing the thread.
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- Raided Score: 95
- Publication: Whiskey Raiders
- Excerpt: It's not my favorite Cairdeas, but it's my favorite in a while, and it's a terribly fun dram, to say the least.
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Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.
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Intro:
The annual release from Laphroaig under their line of Limited Editions, this is Cairdeas 2023, a high-proof peated whiskey that's finished 75% in White Port and 25% Madeira casks. It's bottled at 52.3% ABV - let's dive in!
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Nose:
Bold and fruity and sweet, the nose is full of peaches, lime, lemon and honey, custard and cream laced with ash and barrel char, briney sea air and a touch of iodine.
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Taste:
The palate is surprisingly rich and complex, and the peat takes a backseat here. It's creamy and sweet, notes of Dole fruit syrup, creamy vanilla, buttercream, lemon and lime pop first with a hint of pear and apple bursting forth after a moment. The peat rears up in the back of the palate, presenting mostly char and ash with a hint of brininess.
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Finish:
Long finish, heavy on the char here. Ash and iodine push forward while pleasant sweet stone fruit rides things out for ages.
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Overall:
Pleasant and unique, this reminds me of peated Dole fruit syrup in the best way. It's not my favorite Cairdeas, but it's my favorite in a while, and it's a terribly fun dram, to say the least.
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Score:
8
- Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources