Laphroaig Càirdeas 2022 Warehouse 1 - 52.2%
Laphroaig whiskies certainly don't pull their punches, which makes them loved and loathed in equal measure. Their signature medicinal peated spirit, most evident in their cask strength bottlings, is a phenolic force of nature and was the hook that started me on my whisky journey many years ago.
The annual release of their limited edition Càirdeas expression, which means 'friendship' in Gaelic and is crafted to celebrate the Friends of Laphroaig, is always a big event in the calendar of the devoted Laphroaig fan base.
The 2022 Càirdeas honours our iconic Warehouse 1. Constant sea spray and storm drenchings lend a rich shoreline astringency to the classic Laphroaig flavours of peat, smoke, and salt. Warehouse 1's rare four-storey construction, with varying levels of temperature and humidity, exploits its exposed position on our shoreline to tease out these enigmatic flavours.
Matured in ex-bourbon barrels and exclusively aged in Warehouse 1, a skipping-stone’s throw from the Islay coast. Bottled at a fixed strength of 52.2%.
Nose: Peaty, sweet and nutty with “medicinal” notes. Strong vanilla cake, fudge, heather-honey, golden syrup, walnuts and nutmeg.
Body: Full-bodied with vibrant aromas from nose to finish.
Palate: Powerful peat-reek and ashy notes of tar combine with sweet Manuka honey and burnt toffee. Oak spices, tannins, white pepper, plus dried herbs and flowers add an herbal touch.
Finish: Peaty and acidic with lingering herbal and spicy notes leading to a floral aftertaste.
Tasting notes:
Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, oily legs.
Nose: Barbecue smoke with a very mild medicinal hint, smoked meats and fish, coastal salt, vanilla toffee, woody oak.
Palate: Lavender honey, salted caramel toffee, sweet glazed meats on the barbecue, sweet peat smoke, overcaramelised sugar on a vanilla rich crème brûlée together with herbal and slightly floral notes. Woody oak tannins and nuttiness, cinnamon and white pepper bring warmth.
Addition of a little water brings a creaminess to the mouthfeel, together with more sweet vanilla, caramel, oaky astringency and spice.
Finish: Dry peat smoke lingers together with the herbal and floral notes, cinnamon adds a touch of warmth.
Summary: As I've mentioned previously, I’ve been a big fan of Laphroaig for many years so I had high expectations for this year’s Càirdeas. After all, what could be better than an ex-bourbon cask Laphroaig straight from the legendary Warehouse 1?
Sadly, this expression left me feeling disappointed. There are some lovely sweet notes in there and the salty, seaweed influence of the warehouse location is unmistakeable, but the phenolic medicinal punch I adore is heavily muted if not completely absent. As such, the whisky feels a little unbalanced, immature and lacking that vital component to bring it all together and give it the Laphroaig stamp.
I’ve tried many of the 10 year old cask strength bottlings over the years, and whilst there has been a mix of great, good and not so good years among them, I would have to say most have been significantly better both in quality and value for money. This Càirdeas is priced at £92 and the current Batch 14 Cask Strength at around £70, given the choice I’d go with the latter every time.
The Càirdeas bottling is meant to be a celebration of all things Laphroaig and, whilst the stellar 2021 Pedro Ximenez edition certainly met that requirement, this expression just leaves me feeling underwhelmed. Maybe my expectations were too high, it may not be 'Laphroaig-y' enough for me but it's not a poor whisky when viewed in isolation and may well improve as the fill level goes down over time. If so, I'll happily revisit and revise my thoughts here.
If you would like more information on this whisky, the distillery or any of the other Laphroaig whiskies, follow the link to the company website.
