Laphroaig Càirdeas 2023 White Port & Madeira Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Laphroaig · Laphroaig Distillery
This Càirdeas release is a masterclass in contrast — raw Islay peat tempered by the nuanced sweetness of white port and Madeira casks. It's at once fiercely traditional and adventurously modern, offering the smoke-lover a new dimension of complexity. A fitting annual release that rewards both loyal Laphroaig devotees and curious newcomers seeking smoke-touched elegance.
Nose
An arresting opening salvo of maritime peat smoke, iodine, and sun-bleached seaweed gives way to unexpected sweetness — ripe peach, honeyed almonds, and white port's dried apricot character. Underneath, a delicate floral note drifts in like heather on a coastal breeze, with a whisper of beeswax and toasted coconut.
Palate
Full-bodied and intensely smoky, yet the white port and Madeira cask influence brings a lush tropical sweetness that balances the medicinal peat beautifully. Salted caramel, roasted almonds, and dried mango interweave with tarry rope, smoked lemon rind, and black pepper. The mouthfeel is oily and coating, delivering waves of complexity with each sip.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering campfire smoke, dark chocolate, Madeira-soaked raisins, and a final mineral salinity that calls you back to the glass. The interplay of sweet fortified wine and raw peat persists for minutes.
- Region
- Islay
- Cask Type
- Ex-bourbon barrels, white port casks, Madeira casks
- Peat Level (PPM)
- ~35 - 45 ppm
- Distillation
- Double distilled in copper pot stills
- Maturation
- Initially matured in ex-bourbon barrels, then finished in a combination of white port and Madeira casks
- Chill-Filtered
- Non-chill filtered
Cocktail Suggestion
Smoke & Port Highball — 1.5 oz Laphroaig Càirdeas 2023 · 0.5 oz white port · 4 oz chilled soda water · Squeeze of lemon · Build in a tall glass over ice, stir gently, garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of thyme
Food Pairing
Delicate buckwheat blini topped with cold-smoked Scottish salmon, a dollop of crème fraîche, and a scatter of briny capers. The salmon's smoke mirrors the whisky's peat, while the crème fraîche's richness tempers the spirit's medicinal edge, and the capers echo its maritime salinity.
Each year's Càirdeas (Gaelic for 'friendship') release is crafted by Laphroaig's distillery team as a gift to the distillery's global Friends community, and the 2023 edition marries Islay's primal smoke with the sun-drenched sweetness of Portuguese fortified wine casks.
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