Laphroaig Càirdeas 2021 Pedro Ximénez Casks

 

 

 

58,9°

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay

American Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Quarter Casks, Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 43 ppm

Every year since 2008, the distillery has released a new edition of Càirdeas (which means 'friendship' in Gaelic) to celebrate Feis Ile. And every year, the number of bottles seems to increase. While the very first Batch was produced in 3600 bottles, this one has 32000. Over the years, John Campbell has stepped up his imagination to offer us different maturations, but here it's simply the PX Cask in cask strength.

Let's Taste It: 

The nose is full-bodied, fruity, deep, almost floral. Coal and limestone. Blackcurrant, fig, chestnut, blueberry. The peat rises slowly. Fruit paste. It's luscious, with earth and red plums. Wood, liquorice. Pleasant, fine, grainy smoke. The Laphroaig profile comes next, nails, medicine, asphalt, burnt tyre. Gooseberry on the palate, quite suave, thick peat, spices, cumin, ginger, chilli. Liquorous. Honey, raspberry sponge cake. Powerful but not devastating finish, long, lignite, rock, Madeira, slush, amarena, crumpled bodywork. Iron filings. Wine lees.

In Short, 

This is the 4th Càirdeas I've tasted and it's the best in my humble opinion. The previous ones were a little young and less well-balanced. This one is deep, very fruity, but the Laphroaig profile is not absent, on the contrary. It has to be said that I already really like the PX Cask, which is certainly my favourite Laphroaig NAS. So I'd recommend buying it, despite the rather high price.

Score : 89

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Mano Negra - Sidi H'Bibi

Bunnahabhain Cruach-Mhòna

 

 

 

50°

Distillery ; Bunnahabhain - Islay

Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Oriiginal Bottling

Travel Retail Edition 

Single Malt

Launched in 2010

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, 

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

The first Batch of Cruach-Mhòna landed in 2010. Although launched as a travel edition, it can still be found just about everywhere. It's supposed to combine a few young whiskies with some old ones aged in sherry casks, the whole more peated than usual. Bunnahabhain peats its juices at around 35 ppm according to custom, but here it's more like 40. Batch 2 soon followed the first, until Batch 11 in 2017. Then the people in charge decided that it would be ridiculous to go up to seventy-two, so the only mention would be Limited Edition Release. Cruach-Mhòna means 'pile of peat' in Gaelic.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Quite sweet on the nose, with fine granitic peat. Appetizing bourbon influence. Barley sugar, white plum, banana. Bewitching smoke. Thick tar. Biscuit, genoise. It becomes medicinal at the end. Slightly vanilla-flavoured on the palate, gently full-bodied, then spices, ginger, cloves and cumin. Ounce of bitterness. Relatively powerful finish, quite long, on cola and charcoal. Some remnants of vanilla in retro-olfaction. Liquorice stick. Light coffee.

 

In Short,

I liked it, the peat isn't overpowering, with a nice fruity, greedy balance. Without being really complex, it's pleasant and round. It's better than the Moine, but not as good as the Toiteach a Dhà in my humble opinion. It can be found at a very reasonable price, so why not give it a try? Provided you're an enthusiast, of course.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Muddy Waters - Long Distance Calls

Secret Islay Distillery 2007 The Nectar 15 Years 14 yo

 

 

 

52,7°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay 

Monbazillac Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By Daily Dram 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

In 2006, Jan Broekmans founded The Nectar, an import and distribution company for top-of-the-range spirits in Belgium. The business went from strength to strength. In 2007, the Spirits in the Sky spirits exhibition was launched, followed in 2008 by the independent Daily Dram bottling range, which is now highly reputed. To celebrate the company's 15th anniversary, Daily Dram is launching a series of very attractive bottlings, including this Secret Islay Distillery, aged in a single cask of Monbazillac, a sweet white wine produced in the Dordogne. It is not mentioned how many bottles were produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Mild smoke that gradually becomes overpowering. Whipped cream and vanilla. Lemon candy. It's earthy, rocky. Pebbles, ashtray. Then the fruits show the tip of their nose. With the addition of water, they come into their own. White plums, mirabelles, bananas, lychees, liquid honey. Grapefruit pulp and orange zest. A hint of iodine and clay. Liquorish, spicy palate, a bit dry in the background. Very ripe pears, white grapes, prickly pears. A fistful of nails. Paprika, ginger, cola. Powerful, grainy, juicy, woody, sandy finish. Charcoal, chalk, asphalt at the end, with a few greengages.

 

In Short, 

Rumour has it that it's Laphroaig, and I think it is. The profile is quite recognisable. It's very good, you can feel the tension between peat, asphalt and nails on the one hand, and sweet white fruits on the other. After a few months of opening, this whisky, which was a little austere, has opened up completely, and it's wonderfully bewitching. I pity you if you don't have it at home. 

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Alexander Hacke & Danielle de Picciotto - Awake

Octomore 2016 Edition 10.4 Diàlogos Virgin Oak 3 yo

 

 

 

63,5°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

Heavily Toasted French Limousin Virgin Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 88 ppm

 

 

 

Series .4 of Octomore has the particularity of having been aged in virgin casks. There are only three batches in this series, 7, 8 and 10. Aging a whisky in virgin casks is quite rare, especially because it's expensive, since the casks have never been used before. And you get less aromas. But in this particular case, it may be different, as the casks have been heavily toasted beforehand, in other words burnt, which releases a variety of flavours. 12,000 bottles were sold.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose seems fairly rich, even captivating. Surprising, for virgin casks. You think you're touching the wood, feeling the splinters under the skin. Dried fruits, apricots, ashy peat, an overturned ashtray. Beautiful balance. Hazelnut, maple syrup, holly. You can feel the intensity of the wood. But it's also a bit alcoholic. Spicy but also suave on the palate. Ginger, paprika, pepper. Quite syrupy, like Banyuls. The finish isn't very long, but it's good, earthy, fat, chestnut, pumpkin, butternut. Cranberries.

 

In Short, 

Admittedly, it's good and original, but not very complex, and even a bit young. On the one hand, I'm surprised by the intensity of the aromas that the bare wood has to offer, but on the other I'm a little disappointed. All in all, I wouldn't recommend buying it. There are much better Octomores out there.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Toto - Hold The Line

Lagavulin 10 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay

1st Fill and Rejuvenated Ex-Bourbon Casls

Original Bottling

Travel Retail Edition 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2019

Peated around 38 ppm

 

 

 

This 10-year-old was launched on the occasion of Lagavulin Day at Feis Ile 2019. It is aged in Bourbon casks known as "Rejuvenated", which means that the cask is burnt a second time to bring out the aromas of the wood. This is cheaper than buying new ones.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's very smooth, surprisingly so, liquid honey, limoncello, banana, a hint of vanilla, but you can still smell that it's a Lagavulin, with limestone peat, clay, iodine and smoke. Ashtray. Finally, it's quite greedy, pastry cream, tangy candy. On the palate, lemon tart, grapefruit, the influence of bourbon is very strong, a hint of salt nonetheless, spices, muddy peat. Long but fairly gentle finish, lemon zest, cashew nuts. Liquorice wood, chocolate milk. Exotic fruits, kumquat.

 

In Short, 

I'm not the first to point out the very sweet character of this Laga, to the point where you wonder if it's really Laga. Frankly, I don't find the experiment conclusive, I think the distillery loses a bit of its identity with this bottling. That said, I have to admit that the nose is very good, so I gave it a good score. The price is exaggerated; it's more expensive than the 16yo, which is much better.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Chris Isaak - Wicked Game

Bowmore 1998 Mocha on the Deck Wemyss Malts 18 yo

 

 

 

59,3°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Wemyss Malts 

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2017

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

 

 

 

In my previous post, I mentioned that Wemyss Malts, a trading company founded in 2005, produced some exceptional Single Casks. This one is famous, and a fine example. Distilled in 1998, then aged for over 18 years in a single Sherry Butt, 668 bottles were bottled at cask strength. The title 'Mocha on the Deck' is no doubt there to emphasise the notes of mocha that can be found in it. Mocha is a rather tasty type of Arabica coffee from Ethiopia and Yemen.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Sherry liqueur, slightly acidic, but quite deep too, wisps of smoke, floral fragrances, it's heady, rich, earthy, marzipan, pudding, cake dough. Intense red fruits, strawberry, raspberry and gooseberry. Some spices, saffron, paprika. In the background, charcoal, asphalt, tar. Dry earth. On the palate, nectar, it's syrupy, rosewater, a hint of grenadine, but soon the spices rise, chilli, pepper, tarragon. Juicy fruits: damsons, mirabelle plums, blackcurrants. Coffee, forest undergrowth, damp ferns. Very fine balance at the end. Very powerful finish, even longer, carmine, red fruits, muscat grapes, grilled meat, on a layer of glowing coals. Cardamom in retro-olfaction. It's fresh.

 

In Short, 

It's true that I found a touch of coffee in it, but that's not by far the main flavour marker, in my opinion. It's more red fruits, with a slight acidity. But it remains very complex, deep and intense throughout. A whisky of exceptional quality, the kind you can empty your savings account for without any regrets.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Chet Baker - Leaving

Peat Chimney Batch Strength 002

 

 

 

57°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay

Bourbon Casks and Sherry Hogsheads Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Wemyss Malts 

Blended Malt

Limited Edition 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered

 

 

 

William and Isabella Wemyss founded Wemyss Malts in 2005. As well as a few high-quality single casks, they also bottle a number of blends of all kinds. Peat Chimney is part of their Core Range, and there are two Batch Strength limited editions at the moment, the first launched in 2017 and the second in 2019. It's a blend of peaty to very peaty single malts, almost all of which come from the island of Islay. Unfortunately, it's impossible to know which distilleries were involved, or the peat content. What we do know is that 9,000 bottles were released for sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Nice firepower, ashy peat, full ashtray, but also a touch of vanilla citrus. I read that this is a Blended, but I can only smell Ardbeg here. With a sweet, honeyed touch, fermented milk, syrupy fruit, lychee, mango, guava. It's a bit mineral, quartz, gypsum, mixed with powder. On the palate, the alcohol is well integrated, but the flavours are light, still exotic fruits, bananas, coconut, rose water, then the spices rise, it's quite strong. Pepper, ginger. The finish is a bit harsh, but long, ashy, robust and vegetal. A hint of sweetness in the aftertaste, vanilla and pastry cream. Genoise.

 

In Short, 

It's a nice blend, but I think the Ardbeg dominates. I think there's also some Bunnahabhain for the mineral character, and maybe some other stuff. To be honest, I don't really see the point of the product, but hey, there are not too many flaws, it's not expensive at all, so why not buy one occasionally?

Score : 86  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive

Redbreast 15 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Midleton - Ireland

1st Fill Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry Barrels

Original Bottling

Core Range 

Single Pot Still

Launched in 2005 

Unchillfiltered

Totally Unpeated

This 15-year-old was originally produced as a limited edition to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of La Maison du Whisky in Paris. The huge success that followed led Irish Distillers Ltd to include it in the regular Redbreast range. Single Pot Still, distilled three times, as is the custom, it is aged for 15 to 19 years in Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks.

Let's Taste It : 

Honey, cereals, gingerbread, rum baba. Mellow, round, almost spongy. Ripe fruits, pear, peach, but soon the sherry rises. Quite woody, more fig and leather than red fruits. Salted butterscotch. Hazelnut, olive oil. On the palate, it's creamy, milky, delicately flavoured with vanilla, with a very cereal-like base, in other words, Irish. Then damsons, blackcurrants, a few spices, paprika, pepper and turmeric, ginger, quinces, fermented grapes. Quite a long finish, biscuit, more cereals, dry earth, saffron, soft caramel.

 

In Short, 

At 46° and aged in both Bourbon and Sherry, I found it very balanced, varied and more intense than the 12yo. It's a worthwhile purchase for enthusiasts, even if the value for money is a little short.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          London Grammar - Nightcall