Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask Review

It’s that time of year again. Summer is beginning to wane, the days are beginning to shorten, sunscreen is taking up less shelf space, Target is putting patio furniture on clearance and the yearly Cairdeas is making its appearance. This year’s edition is the Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask. A cask finish I was both looking forward to and feeling a bit of trepidation towards.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask

I like Fino sherry just fine, and I’ve enjoyed many whiskies with a Fino finish to it, but since it’s the lighter end of the sherry I was wondering if the Laphroaig would overpower it. But, as we’ll see in the review below, it turned out quite nicely this year.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask Review: Details and Tasting Notes

The 2018 Laphroaig Cairdeas release is finished in Fino Casks. Fino is the lighter side of sherry and adds a nice touch of sweetness to the whisky.

In Laphroaig’s Words: Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask

With Cairdeas meaning friendship in Gaelic, we can’t think of a better way to toast our Friends around the world. This year’s release showcases a special double maturation, slowing maturing in first fill bourbon casks and then Fino Sherry casks that were laid to rest in Warehouse 8 and 10.

Barrier filtered and non chill filtered, you’ll find this whisky has notes of toasted almonds, dried fruit and sea salt, all of which perfectly complement Laphroaig’s signature peaty flavor.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask price, ABV, age and other details

Region: Islay, Scotland

Distiller: Laphroaig
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon and ex-Fino
Age: NAS
ABV: 51.8%

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Batch: 2018

Price: $80*

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask Tasting Notes

EYE
Golden Amber

NOSE
Smoked meat, honey, pears, graham, yellow raisins, white cocoa, marzipan and bits of plastic and cinnamon.

PALATE
Smoked meat, oil, honey, orchard fruit, yellow raisins, cinnamon, white cocoa, Fruit Gems and bits of herbal notes, plastic and pepper.

FINISH
Long -> Peat, orchard fruit, leather and cinnamon.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance, full body and an oily warm feel.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask Review: OVERALL

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2018 Fino Cask Review

This is the best since the Madeira cask with the port finish still being the best. The aroma is meat peatiness complimented with a nice line of sweetness. The palate is a powerful and brutally beautiful riff on the aroma with a silken finish. A bit of water brings out delicious robust notes of grilled fruit and a bit of eucalyptus menthol.

This is a worthy inclusion to the Cairdeas series. It’s quite nice all around and once K&L gets their next shipment of it in I’ll DEFINITELY be picking up a spare… or two. It’s a delightful sipper and something I’m enjoying more and more with each pour.

SCORE: 89/100 (B+)