Laphroaig Cairdeas

It has an oily viscosity and a highly intense bouquet. I have aromas of pleasant, maritime peat smoke, citrus fruit, leather, pipe tobacco, vanilla, crème brulee, licorice, and peppery spiciness. Moderately complex. A good balance between sweetness and dryness in terms of flavor. The alcohol is clearly noticeable, and it has a heavy body.

And this year, Laphroaig has once again given us a successful Càirdeas, and in this bottling, in my opinion, even manages to return somewhat to its roots and revive the beloved phenolic-medicinal smoky notes. Although I'm fortunate enough to also enjoy the new style, this bottling evokes very nostalgic feelings in me. I think the 2025 has the potential to reconcile some of those who, for example, found the 2024 too "untypical" and "contrived," who have had to "make do" with the 10-year-old Cask Strength bottlings in recent years and who secretly yearn for the bottlings of the 2010s, or—even better, of course—the bottlings of previous decades. I'm a big fan of the 10yo CS. I appreciate its impetuous power and the fact that, even without any special "cask-filling" gimmicks, it simply seems so "complete" in its classic style, and has exemplarily represented the spirit of this unique distillery for decades. Untamed, Laphroaig-typical smoke, along with exceptionally beautiful fruit notes that, with a bit of luck, sometimes lean toward the tropical. What more could you possibly need, apart from decades of aging? The 2025 Càirdeas starts here, but also adds more sweet caramel, dried fruit, as well as subtle spice and sherry notes. I'm extremely satisfied with this bottling, and the bottle will certainly get even better with increasing oxidation. I'm not sure two bottles will be enough for me...

Aroma: Strong, medicinal and smoky, gauze, iodine and peat dominate, behind it fruity sweetness with dried plums, dates, apple and toffee, dry wood rounds it off. Taste: Peppery and alcoholic at the start, then sweet dried fruits, with tart citrus freshness, oily, phenolic, maritime with iodine, herbs, dark chocolate, leather and lots of spice. Finish: Long, dry, with cocoa, licorice, spices, smoke and charcoal. Conclusion: A beautiful, strong and varied Laphroaig. You can get Laphroaig here!

I'm a bit late with the Cairdeas

Càirdeas – Friendship in liquid form "Càirdeas" means "friendship" in Gaelic – and this is precisely the spirit behind Laphroaig's annual special bottlings. Each edition is a tribute to the distillery's loyal fans and stands out significantly from the standard portfolio in terms of style and content. The 2025 edition is based on the popular Laphroaig Lore, considered "the richest Laphroaig ever" – but in this special edition, it is unfiltered, cask strength, and even more intense. TASTING NOTES Aroma: Powerful peat smoke, iodine, dark chocolate, raisins, maritime notes, peppery notes with lemon and lime, smoked bacon and spicy oak. Taste: Oily and intense with notes of smoked leather, dried dates, chili, sweet peat, espresso and salty caramel, followed by cumin, cloves and ginger paired with powerful phenol and sweet citrus. Finish: Extremely long, warming and complex – with persistent sweetness, smoke and typical “Laphroaig sea salt finish”

Direct comparison with the 10 CS Batch 17. Yes, it's a little different, but it doesn't reinvent the wheel. In my opinion, both embody the distillery's character and are on par. It depends on how I feel that day which one I prefer. [88~91] complex, interesting, fun, I can spend more time with it, "I want to have it" :-D

Intense peat with cracked black pepper and a root beer finish. It's a very good Laphroaig, but it drinks a little hot out of the gate and doesn't have the finish that the 2024 one does. It's the big brother to the regular lore, and anyone who is new to peat this is a good entry level

As a fan of Laphroaig Lore, this Cask Edition undoubtedly elevates the expression to a new level.

An excellent Càirdeas with lots of peat and a long, soft finish. In addition, a great cutey! I look forward to the "friend" every year!

A bold step forward compared to previous Feis Ile bottlings (2023 and 2024). Cask strength and as I guess sherry casks are a great addition! Intense, concentrated, round considering the ABV.

Beautiful tasty whisky, real beauty! 22 22 21+ 22 87+

After the core Lore range was already a favorite, they're releasing the Lore Cask strength. If you already love the original, you'll be in for a treat when you drink this one. I suspect the first Lore releases were less sherry-heavy and more bourbon-driven...

88,00

I really had high hopes Ultimately, this lands as a significantly less cohesive and far more disjointed dram compared to the standard, wonderfully integrated Laphroaig Lore.

It is intensed, well I prefer adding a couple of water drop

Good, quite good. The second dram was significantly better than the first. 81-85 – Wow, really good one

22+22+22+22

Being bottled at cask strength suits LORE a lot. If anyone says this is LORE on steroids there would be a minimal space for arguing. I can't deny I am fanboy of LORE, so all I can say is that this one is a keeper. Smooth, rounded, no trace of harsh ABV.

Keep in formation, peat lovers.

My favorite Cairdeas yet. Almost like a gift from Laphroaig giving us an old cask strength Lore. Beautiful chocolate notes, i even taste cherry blossoms, and mocha rich desserts. Very round, and well balanced. Funnily enough, takes water brilliantly and tastes older the more you add, just dont go over board. A masterpiece from the limited yearly Cairdas releases! Trying to get a back up now, goodluck!

Every year, Laphroaig releases a bottling for friends of the distillery at Fèis Ìle. Last year's bottling was 10 years old and was intended to evoke the former Triple Wood. This year it's a cask-strength version of Lore, now called Cask Lore. Laphroaig states that Cask Lore is composed of whiskies aged between seven and 21 years from five different cask types. These include virgin oak casks made of European oak, quarter casks, sherry casks made of European and American oak, and ex-bourbon casks. These are also used in the Lore Cask Strength bottling – whether the age range of 7 to 21 years also applies to the Càirdeas bottling, I couldn't find on either the website or the packaging. It does state, however, that the whisky is non-chill filtered. There's no mention of the color, so it may be colored. Although the golden hue of the whisky should also be achievable naturally, especially when using virgin oak. The distillery's online shop sells the whisky for €95, including shipping. That might be acceptable. The €125 to €150 that some German shops are asking are definitely not. glen-efze.de

I really like the Lore from the standard range at 48% ABV. However, in my opinion, this one isn't simply a cask-strength Lore, but rather a somewhat different blend. The smoke is ashier and the bourbon cask influence is higher, at least to my taste. To me, it becomes significantly smoother, and that's precisely what I like about the standard Lore when it's given some time in the glass and the brutal cask strength is diluted with a good amount of water. Whether I would absolutely need the cask strength here, I'm not really sure.

scent: delicate, iodine, peat, honey plastic taste: ginger, iodine, coal, honey Unimpressive in aroma but technically so in taste, plus a little sweet

Whisky tasting on 2026 03 24

First contact with the 2025 Càirdeas. Contrary to the announcement, the bottles were shipped earlier than May 27th, so my order arrived on May 26th. I took the opportunity of the online “masterclass” held today as part of Fèis Isle (more on that later) with the current distillery manager George Campbell to open a bottle and enjoy my first dram. A distinctly phenolic aroma emanates from the glass, considerably stronger than last year's Càirdeas and also stronger than the last 10 CS. Not so much when the glass is directly under your nose, but rather when it's standing on a table. Otherwise, it makes a pleasingly classic impression on the nose. The 'Lore', or now 'The Cask Lore' with its reduced alcohol strength, does the same, but with five different cask types involved (of which, for some inexplicable reason, only four are officially listed: ex-bourbon, quarter casks, oloroso sherry, and virgin oak), you never really know. The classic impression continues on the palate, pleasingly approachable with its sporty-sounding 59.6% ABV. No Càirdeas has ever had such a high alcohol content, and the 2019, at 59.5% ABV, loses its crown. Impromptu: delicious! A Laphroaig that, for a change, doesn't hit the sweet spot like its predecessor, but on the other hand, doesn't come across as overly bitter. Latex, hospital scent, tar, seaweed—it's all there. A slight sweetness. I've yet to figure out exactly what that is; these aren't meant to be real tasting notes, just a spontaneous first impression. It lingers on the tongue for a relatively long time, which is certainly due in part to the fairly decent peat smoke content. But that's not all; there's more besides the peat smoke, which prevents it from simply slipping over the tongue and disappearing. No woodiness to the finish, still a classic. Not too young. Yes, I like it right away. And I can't imagine it will change much over the course of the bottle; it will probably get even better with increasing oxygen exposure. Currently I'm at 89/89/89 -> 89/100, although it can't be ruled out that he could still make the jump to 90. A few more words about the so-called 'masterclass'. Under the aegis of John Campbell and Barry MacAffer, it was a truly live event, lasting 45 or even 60 minutes. John (and later Barry) sat in front of the camera, sipped his dram, talked a bit, and occasionally went off on a tangent. Questions posed in the chat were answered by the distillery manager, while the back office remained where it belonged: in the background. Currently (and this isn't the first "tasting" to be broadcast in this form), the distillery manager's tasting was recorded at an earlier time, lasts a total of around 10 minutes (today: 8 minutes), and only those questions that were previously submitted in writing are being answered. Three in total. The chat is moderated, but the comments left there by the person behind the keyboard for Laphroaig are extremely non-committal and random. Laphroaig used to be much better at this.

Top

need some time for performance

Ok I didn't know I would like this as much as do...wow

Still new. Fan of the regular lore, will need to try side by side but i'm not convinced this is the same stuff without water. I didn't take long to add some water which opened it up a lot. Old attic, some butterscotch, old library that consists of wood. Great development in the taste, umami, sweet, peaty, all sorts going on. Fantastic sticky rich Laphroaig finish. Supersmoky, thi k and voluptuous. Proper great whisky in my book. This with a pilsner type of beer on the side at a campfire? Killer combo. Need to revisit and also compare with the great 10yo cask strength, but first acquaintance is certainly pleasant. Great deal for 75€

This is truly a powerful, robust spirit – oak, of course. And the color comes exclusively from the barrels. This detail, so important to us connoisseurs, is unfortunately still being kept secret by the distillery's marketing department for reasons I find incomprehensible. I enjoy the first sip of this dram carefully neat, then I enjoy it more relaxed with a little water at about 50% ABV until the wonderfully long, peaty-bitter aftertaste...

Good with original fudge. Smoky and fruity citrus notes.

Hooray! It's uncolored! Now I have it in black and white: Laphroaig Consumer Care confirmed to me via email: "...We can confirm that our Càirdeas Lore Cask Strength does not contain added coloring and is non-chill filtered. ..." After finding no indication of coloring on either the bottle label or the box, I wanted to clarify. My inquiry about this via the contact form immediately generated the familiar standard response: "...As a matter of policy, we don't share specific information regarding our formulas or ingredients. ..." After a few days, my second polite inquiry resulted in the long-awaited answer that no dye was used. This confirmation makes me happy! So, it's possible. Dear Laphroaig team: Please continue to refrain from using caramel coloring in Càirdeas, and in the future also in 10 CS, and make sure to state this on the labels and the box!

I have a theory. I tried quite a bit of this whisky so far, and I LOVE it. I love the core Lore because of it's nuance, age, intensity and mocca/citrus flavors, and there are so many positive reviews for this whisky, but then, amidst that, you'll find some average to negative reviews. This bottle keeps selling out immediately at stores for even a limit of 1 bottle per order/household. Yes, I know many collect the special Cairdeas releases, and there's been a lot of talk about this bottle, more than most (at least to memory) previous cairdeas releases. So what's going on? Why such contrasting reviews? I think I have the answer. What's going on is influence through negative reviews to keep people from purchasing this bottle, as it's a limited release and not always so easy to get. So that might influence people not to buy it. This isn't to say no one can have a negative or less than positive review or feedback of it, but I wouldn't go by those people if you are a Laphroaig fan, a peat fan, or just a fan or exceptional single malt whisky. You will be missing out. This is a phenomenal whisky, and I'd love everyone who fits the bill to get their hands on such a bottle. I can't accept that this bottle is anything less than 90+ excellence. It's sweet, deep, nuanced, it's a chameleon with water, it's very exciting to the senses and very reachable. I think of this release as a gift from Laphraoig. And I love when core releases are then released at cask strength. That to me has always been one of the most exciting things about whisky. It's rare and always interesting. I say all this, and will be trying to obtain another bottle. I'm hoping in the next few days for the holidays that I will be in luck, and I wish the same for you! Cheers and slainte!!

A very pleasant dram where the peat is most noticeable at the death, but is more earthy than smoky or iodine. A dram to share with friends - well worth trying.

I think it's well-crafted and a long-lasting drink, powerful and wonderfully balanced despite the high alcohol content. The aromas are fresh and varied, and the smoke is intense and constantly present. - June 13, 2025

Distinctively more intense than the normal Lore...However, it is quite driven by the oak and the classic Lore offers some kind of older, matured flavors.

N: Woody, Peaty, Nutty, Citrus, Pepper P: Sweet, Nutty, Citrus, Dried plum F: Vanilla, Peaty It's really drinkable thought about 60 ABV.

Yes, when I close my eyes and imagine Laphroaig whisky, this is exactly what it looks like... Amazing drink!

The 10 sherry oak did not land with me, but this one is exceptional. Strong peat with noticeable but well balanced sherry. Opens up well after some time in the bottle. Long finish. Tried this in a sampling pack and immediately bought 2 bottles.

типовц сучасний лаф. нічого неочікуваного. досить базово. у попівнянні з ardnahoe chairmans програє зі свистом

Amber. Nose: Smoke, subtle sweetness. Taste: Sweetness, sharp campfire smoke, sherry, salt,

Well, this is a real success. It has everything you need to love about a modern Laphroaig. A true Islay whisky without embellishment. What a thrill!

Wow! On first pour this might top my previous favourite whisky, 2016 Lagavulin 12.

Last year's Cask Favourites was a mixed bag for fans: some felt it lacked medicinal smokiness and was too sherry-heavy, while others felt the dominant sherry note was just right. Personally, I quite liked it – though toward the end of the bottle, the powerful combination of sherry and smoke became a bit too much for me. The current bottling presents itself quite differently. The motto here is clear: "Back to the roots." Distinctive, medicinal-phenolic smoke, powerful, robust, almost rough – exactly what a lover of classic Laphroaigs desires. And yet: the sherry notes are not missing. They are there, clearly recognizable, but more subtly integrated – both on the nose and in the palate. All in all, a thoroughly successful festival bottling. I'm glad I was able to secure a sample – even though I'm certain this bottle probably won't survive until the next Fèis Ìle. It's simply too drinkable – and too good.

Overall: "Laphroaig just seems to make good wine." Even considering that it's a limited edition, even Cairdeas, which is known to be produced in large batches, seems to show quite good quality every year. Of course, it may not have the delicacy of a long-aged whisky like a 25yo cs, but I think it's a high-quality bottle that creates complex layers through blending, and the sherry cask and bourbon cask naturally blend with the peat at the center. I don't know about those who aren't familiar with peat, but anyone who has enjoyed products like the Laphroaig 10cs will be satisfied with this bottle without much of a problem. It seems that the Laphroaig 10cs series is starting to be officially imported to Korea, and I hope that various Laphroaig products will be officially imported. Suntory, work hard!!

Nose-88; Taste-89; Finish-88.

The Laphroaig Cairdeas Lore Cask Strength 2025 definitely packs a punch. The aromas and presentation are very intense. Spicy, powerful, sweet, and smoky. A distinct maritime note with plenty of campfire and BBQ vibes. The fruity sweetness takes a moment to emerge, but then it's wonderfully present, like fruit jam. The Lore Cask Strength is definitely fun and offers a lot to discover. Intense and powerful. The cask strength turns the aroma volume up to 10. If you like strong, intense Islay whiskies at cask strength, the Cairdeas 2025 is certainly for you. "Round" and "balanced" are the wrong words to describe it.

wow

First test after a fat cigar and with a few drops of water: Phenolic smoke wafts from afar, rather fruity and almost artificially sweet in the glass. Wonderfully oily in the mouth, and the oak spice provides a certain tingle. Fruity, mineral, and incredibly drinkable. On the finish, I also find the warm roofing felt of the regular Lore. Conclusion after the first dram: Great Laphi and definitely not a bad buy if you like the 10CS or the Lore. 88/100 with room for improvement.

Delicious vanilla roofing felt, licorice tar and pepper tobacco. Everything is relatively simple and quite alcoholic, but it has a nice dilution reserve and offers overall a more than decent quality of enjoyment. It's very sherry cask-driven and completely different from the Lore I'd known up until then (from the round tube), with no discernible older components. Simply modern and cask-strength, pleasing and popular, or, to put it positively, intense and truly drinkable. Perfect for a lovely evening by the fire.

All in all, a good whisky: phenolic smoke, maritime notes, sherry notes, and a hint of mango. I like it a lot. 87/100 or 6/10

Unfortunately, it loses the comparison to the 2024 Càirdeas, but it's still a great whisky. While the 2024 vintage is perfectly enjoyable without water, I recommend adding a few drops of water here. Intensive casks were used here as well, yet the Laphroaig character with a distinct smokiness is retained. The sherry component here is dry and has a dark fruity, slightly bitter note. Adding water reduces the bitterness and also increases the smokiness.

Colour: golden orange, very unusual. Aroma: prune, dense, raisin, a hint of vanilla, caramel, fruity. The alcohol content isn't really noticeable. Over time, a sweet, smoky flavor comes to the fore. Taste: sweet syrup, a little smokedness, pepper, a little wood. Aftertaste: long but a bit monotonous, sweet, peppery and a bit of wood. Conclusion: Not like Laphroaig: dessert-like, simple, slightly smoky. Still quite tasty (which is important, and it gets a couple of extra points).

Wow, delicious, and once again a true Laphroaig. We have phenolic notes, sea breeze, a pepper mix (mixed with black pepper), and lemon cake with plenty of vanilla. Added to that is medium-aged wood with little bitterness. Straightforward and rather moderately complex. It's most comparable to a 10 at cask strength. But it's still somewhat special. A comparison with the Laphroaig 10 at cask strength would also be very interesting. Compared to the 2024 Cairdeas, I actually slightly prefer last year's. It's a bit more profound, drinkable, and simply special. And I simply like a distinct sherry influence in my smoky whiskies, or those made from pure ex-bourbon.

A true Laphi – no frills finish (no offense intended). I've had the chance to taste a few older bottlings at the distillery, which is what this dram reminds me of. The "regular" Lore is already OK. But I wouldn't have expected such an improvement at cask strength. Very solid!

For me, a sensational version. A typical laphroaig with a lot of smoke, bandages, peat, salty breeze and very fruity with a dominance of grapefruit, lemon, dark chocolate, which in the finish adds a characteristic aftertaste. Pleasantly warming with a mineral tongue. Alcohol very well hidden, despite almost 60%. Despite the lack of age statement, this is a perfectly composed whisky. The whole thing coherently, without collisions, passes into each phase of tasting. Worth its price.

Rich, a nice mouthful. Needs lots and lots of water.

Another top notch bottling. Well done laphroaig team

Improvements on standard Lore, this packs a flavour punch - intensified deep caramels, smoke, TCP, malted cereals and barley sugar, cinnamon sugar, bbq ham , fig jams, honey and peppers, with more peaty Smoke. Wonderful if a bit on the pricy side.

Easy 87+ Lovely stuff.

A more interesting version of the lore cask. A smokey punch.

This one is a tough cookie for me. While it is going well with smell and first taste on the tongue, revealing - instead of iodine - an interesting and appealing industrial workshop aroma amongst caramel, it does imho not finish strong. It turns into a metallic note and leaves with a thin mouthfeel though the smoke lingers which is to be expected. First thing that came to my mind was that they should've added more old casks into the mix, and "this probably is not a CS version of the first Lore when it was first released several years ago", pointing in the same direction of changing cask composition (read: becoming younger, less complex) over time. Still a competent and somewhat interesting Laphroaig but it does not beat the 10 cs - generally speaking - in my book. That said this Lore CS might be better than some of the recent versions of Cairdeas except for last year's 10 yo. I was initally keen on getting two bottles, but I've decided to not do that. Maybe a second sample will change my mind, but I really do not appreciate the young-ish, metallic finish on this one. Should've been good wood instead. :-/

The most chocolate Laphroaig i have ever had :)

Sampled at an event.

Golden or even amber colour. Very typical Laphroaig.

This one blew my mind at a whisky fair, but I need to try this again for a sincere review. From then I can just say: awesome intensity, much to explore.

Nose: seasalt, brine, tar, smoke, lemon citrus, Mouth: oily, citrus, a bit oak tanning, minty, smoke, bbq sauce Finish: mid long, dark chocolate, burning wood, tar 89 this is a great laphroaig,

Much more intense and full-body version of Lore