Whisky Review: Laphroaig Cairdeas 30 Years Old

• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Laphroaig Distillery
• Bottling: D. Johnston & Co.
• ABV: 43%
• Cost: £450

What they say

Cairdeas – meaning “Friendship” in Gaelic, Laphroaig Cairdeas 30 Year Old was specially bottled in 2008 to celebrate our friends worldwide. Cairdeas 30 has enjoyed a double maturation, firstly in a combination of approximately 60% sherry and 40% ex-bourbon casks.

Before bottling the spirit was then married together and matured for a final period in ex-bourbon casks to ensure and even richer, more complex flavour.

What I say

The first of our samples after our epic tour of Laphroaig distillery was this 2008 Cairdeas 30 year old expression. Many thanks to our tour guide Bryony and the staff at Laphroaig distillery for making us feel most welcome or ‘at home’.

My tasting notes:

• Colour: Yellow gold
• Nose: Sweet honey and iodine, medicinal, TCP, germolene, Elastoplast, new mown hay, vanilla custard, crème brulee, green apples, peach skin, seaweed and sea spray
• Taste: Smooth, tangy medicinal TCP and iodine, cinnamon and nutmeg spices, that famous Laphroaig creosote, oaky wood, fruity apple, peanut/satay, pistachio and cardamom kulfi and saltwater taffy
• Finish: Long , iodine, peanut and vanilla

Overall

Wow, what a dram! Usually in older whisky I find the peat influence mellowed and a lot of wood influence, this one appears to have been slightly rejuvenated by the second maturation allowing the peat to burst out in an array of flavours. The nuttiness is also there but in a variety of guises and the herbal woody notes just seem to really work with everything else going on. I just wish I had so much more of this one…

Score 92/100

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