It’s my favorite Islay distillery day at Feis Ile – Laphroaig distillery. Despite some recent disappointing (or even bad) releases from Laphroaig, there are still some good official releases. Let’s go back one year and review one of them, the 2016 Cairdeas that was matured in bourbon barrels and then finished in Madeira casks.
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2016 Madeira Cask (51.6%, $79.99)
Nose: At my first tasting of this whisky I thought it wasn’t quite well with disharmony between the peat and the fruitiness of the Madeira cask but a few weeks later it’s better with gentle peat, red grapes and red berries, a bit of zest (orange peels?) and malt. With a few drops of water sharper smoke on the front. Smoke is the star with red berries fruit at backseat with touch of peat and medicinal notes but the water kind of transform it into a very one dimensional whisky. Continue reading
Nose: First sniff and it already way better. There’s body and presence that just doesn’t exists in the 2nd batch. Soft peat smoke, sweet berries: raspberries and blueberries, kinda jammy, very well integrated. After a few minutes, stronger iodine and medicinal notes show up along with honey and salt. 
Aged in four different hand-selected casks; ex-bourbon barrels, quarter casks, virgin American oak barrels and European oak hogsheads, vigilance and craftsmanship hold the key to this complex Islay malt. Bright golden in colour, Laphroaig Four Oak has aromas of peat smoke with stewed fruit and warm, toasted vanilla. With hints of sandalwood, pine, fir and willow, experience oak embers and seaweed with smooth buttercream on the palette and a salted liquorice and peaty finish.
For two centuries, Laphroaig master craftsmen have worked to shape the most richly flavoured of all Scotch whiskies. This exceptional edition was created by current Laphroaig Distillery Manager, John Campbell, to honour those who have gone before him. Left to rest in first-fill, ex-bourbon barrels before further maturing in large, new European oak hogsheads maturation occurs slowly, resulting in a whisky of great depth.
Nose: Soft peat smoke, rounded and surprisingly bodily and rich, cereals, soft ashes and brine. With extra time in glass it becomes much sweeter and fruity with added peaches and apricots. bonus point: the peat is stronger. 
Nose: very Laphroaig-y, medicinal, sooty and sweet peat, hints of lemon, semi-dry, oak and honey. It’s not very smoky or much fruity at first but slowly the smoke get stronger intertwined with stronger honey and fruit notes and if you let it rest in the glass even further: strong and harmonized honey and fruit notes with a dash of smoke. 