Laphroaig Cairdeas 2023 White Port and Madeira Casks Review
The Laphroaig Cairdeas 2023 release offers a lot of intrigue, and it’s not just because of the choice of casks. Of note, this is the first Cairdeas release with Laphroaig’s new distillery manager, Barry MacAffer, leading the way. MacAffer has most likely been involved with other Cairdeas releases before this one. He was the Assistant Manager at Laphroaig since 2016 before taking over in 2022, but this will be his first Cairdeas whisky being the face of it all.
For his first Cairdeas, MacAffer chose to mature Laphroaig in madeira and white port casks. Prior to this release, I had never heard of white port being used for whisky maturation, but it’s not uncommon. While Laphroaig has used port casks in previous Cairdeas releases, including Cairdeas 2013 and Cairdeas 2021, I have yet to see the distillery use white port casks. About 25% of the whisky used to create this release comes from first-fill white port casks along with other unspecified port casks as well. It’s strange to me that Laphroaig does not bother to mention what those unspecified port casks are after giving so many other details.
The final 75% of this whisky was matured in refill madeira casks, which is a wine made on the Portuguese Madeira Islands. Using madeira casks is not unfamiliar territory for Laphroaig, which released the Cairdeas 2016 Madeira Cask whisky.
These whiskies are blended together to create a spirit that should offer sweet flavors to compliment Laphroaig’s traditional smoky finish. Both of these cask influences will be completely new to me, so this whisky is all about looking forward to all the new and exciting things coming from Laphroaig with MacAffer now leading the way.
The Basics
Aged: Unknown
Bottles available: Unknown
Casks: Madeira, white port
ABV: 52.3%
Color: Gold
Nose: Butter, jerky, salt, smoke
Cost: $160 (auction fees and shipping were $50)
Purchased at: Scotch Whisky Auctions (Auction 145)
Taste
The first sip gives a taste of butterscotch and vanilla and transitions into cinnamon and raisin flavors. The finish offers more cinnamon and raisin flavors and a smoky finish. The smoky flavor slowly builds in your mouth after your sip and offers a nice warm feeling that continues to build.
Neat or With Water
I preferred this whisky neat and found adding water did not drastically change the flavor profile in any way.
Summary
Accessibility: Initially, I was not sure how long it takes for Cairdeas releases to start being sold in the United States, so I decided getting it sooner in an auction was probably my best bet. However, I discovered about two weeks later it showed up at my local liquor store. Cairdeas releases seem to be pretty available in the United States as I still see the 2020, 2021, and 2022 offerings available for sale. I think you should start seeing this one available in auctions, online, and in local stores pretty soon if it is not there already.
Price: At $160, I definitely overpaid for this bottle. If I had waited an additional two weeks, I probably could have saved myself about $60. It currently is being sold at a store right across the street from me for $99. $99 is typically what I see Cairdeas bottles go for in the United States, so I probably should have known better. I have seen it listed online for between $90 on the low end and about $300 on the high end.
Quality: The butterscotch flavor works very nicely with the sweet spice and dried fruit flavors, and the smoky finish is just right. The strength of this whisky is how nicely it allows you to transition between all the great flavors. When you experience a flavor with this whisky, you are able to taste it fully before being guided on to the next great flavor and finally having it all come together to compliment the peaty finish.
Score: 8/10 (See our scoring system explanation)
As I have written in the past, I think the Cairdeas line is the most affordable and accessible of all the limited release offerings coming out of Islay. Additionally, you always get something worthwhile to try. The Laphroaig Cairdeas 2023 release is no different and continues to showcase how versatile of a whisky Laphroaig is.
I am very impressed with how smoothly this whisky transitions between flavors and how it showcases a beautiful display of peat. This is a very nice dram, and it’s one you do not need to break the bank or jump through hoops to find. I would very happily get another bottle of this whisky, and I appreciate that it will be around for a bit in the United States as I have seen with previous Cairdeas releases.