My Cairdeas bottles arrived today, but I won’t be cracking one till next week. The same supplier had the cask strenght(batch unknown) for 10% more. I have been more impressed by Laphroaig’s Cairdeas releases than Ardbeg’s committee/limited releases . I know that Laphroaig produces more volume but Ardbeg will cost an easy 2x in retail prices. When I first read about warehouse 1; I was convinced that I would probably want to track down a case. From the research I’ve done it seems that people are divided on this one. From what I gather it’s a good release, but not exceptional. Can’t wait to try it.
Hi Lester. Congrats on getting your Cairdeas. It's really odd how prices vary so much between regions and between different products. It seems like Laphroaig offer Cairdeas at more attractive prices and with much more availability in markets they really care about. Personally, I think if they're the same price (or Cairdeas is cheaper) then someone who is well experienced with Laphroaig should go Cairdeas this year. The current 10CS does nothing new. The Cairdeas does. And who knows when we'll get another bourbon matured Cairdeas? The exception being people who will be disappointed with a whisky that's slightly under cask strength. And those people probably know if that applies to them. Since doing my review I've only seen John at Just Whisky's review (worth a watch btw) but I'm not surprised that it divides people. It's not what we've been conditioned to expect from Cairdeas, nor is it the raw power of 10CS. It demands time and careful consideration and if you give it that then I think it's well worth it. Cairdeas vs Committee Release is interesting and depends on which ones for me. I loved Fermutation and Port & Wine Casks. I was also really disappointed with PX Cask and Ardcore. I agree that Cairdeas usually offers better value though. Look forward to hearing your thoughts when you get around to opening the Cairdeas. Cheers!
I agree with you're alternatives at the end good shout I always seem to have a PC 10 and Ledaig 10 in my collection. Have done most of the Laphroaig range and for value the quarter cask at 48% is great value. On a different subject, just snaffled a bottle of Kilkerran 12 happy days, looking forward to Sunday night :-)
PC and Ledaig 10 are the workhorses of peated whisky 🙂 nice work on the Kilkerran. Its my favourite of the Springbank group. Apart from how hars it is to get hold of! Cheers 🥃
I have not yet tried any of these whiskies, but I can definitely agree with the sweetness of Laphroaig and I don't think it is a characteristic that many people bring up. I find the standard 10 to be quite medicinal at first, but once you get past half way, the sweetness really comes in.
I'm drinking a batch 14 right now and it's apsolutely ferocious compared to 13, Ive drunk 5 bottles of 13 and didn't find 14 as powerful as as I am with this bottle, I haven't had a bottle 9f Laphroaig for about 6 weeks a I open a bottle and drink it till its gone, I found the 13 quite gentle sweet in comparison to this 14 maybe I've opened a different part of the batch but the bottle 14 I'm driving is unbelievably powerful and I only drink peated bourbon cask islay and island whisky and 99% is cask strength, The cough medicine/tcp/iodine/mentholated/ is something that is really surprising me I wasn't expecting it especially when I'm so used to 13, The 14 is extremely mentholated as my main tasting note, Do you find 14 a monster compared to 13, With any luck they will do the cairdeas next year as a Cs with a similar profile,
Hi Jason. That's kind of worrying that there are potentially sub batches inside the latest batch of 10CS but not at all impossible. They definitely did something weird with this as batches 13 and 14 are bottled quite close together according to the label. Probably trying to get ahead of the covid chaos. The labels have been released for the 2023 Cairdeas. Three quarters of it will be finished in 2nd fill Madeira casks and the remainder will be 1st fill white port casks. Port is always hit and miss with Laphroaig but I think it has potential. ABV is 52.3% so almost certainly not CS but high-ish.
$79????? Batch 13 is $83. What I really want to know is how Duncan Taylor can sell a 12 year @ 53.9% for only $340? Yes 4 times the 10CS. Riddle me that Batman!
Nice review, love the 10 cs but down here in Australia it is not good value one of the most overpriced bottles on the market if you can find it anywhere, it must come in very limited stocks and have to pay 280- 300$ crazy stuff. I am jealous this is a value buy for you guys. I’ll keep an eye out for the Cairdeas sounds nice.
That's sad to hear. 10CS isn't 'cheap' here in the UK but being cask strength and an age statement it's very good value for what you get. I hope you have some other decent options at more sensible prices?
@@WhiskyLock yeah we do, generally we pay more for whiskey than alot of places in the world due to taxes, but for some reason this Laphroig CS is way out of whack. My recent value favourite is the heavily peated Benromach sherry cask matured. 46% viscous oily, wonderful combination of fruity spirit + sherry and earthy peaty funky flavours. one to try if you haven't.
I really agree that the Cairdeas might be "more expressive" and more interesting/enjoyable to me but the issue of the price remains. It's just too expensive with no justifiable reason apart from fleecing us. Some will like the power of the 10 and others the Cairdeas but why in earth is the Cairdeas so much more expensive? There's absolutely no justification.
All fair points. As always seems to be the case, there is an aspect of paying a premium for any Feis release. I have some more Feis 2022 reviews coming up in a couple of weeks (fashionably late!). The price of some of those will really get you riled up ;-)
@@WhiskyLock I'll tone it down. The point has been made. Good whisky but we really are encouraging the industry to burn us if we buy it. I'm with Ralfy; Don't buy it. Laphroaig are out of the orbit apart from better quality younger age indi bottles.
Ah Williamson. I haven't had Indie Laphroaig for a while but I do have an unopened bottle of 8yo Williamson from Carn Mor that I'm looking forward to. I also love most things from BBR. If your BBR Williamson is similar to this Cairdeas then it sounds like you got a bargain 👍
I think you're onto something. A small amount of 10CS gives the 2022 Cairdeas a little boost (lovely fruity notes on the nose) but perhaps not as much as I hoped. It's also very easy to add too much 10CS and lose the finer points of the Cairdeas. Fun and worthwhile experiment though!
According to the video dealing with not finding Springbank: I found and bought here in Vienna with only 160 Euros together: Springbank 10, Kilkerran 12 and Kilkerran CS Batch 5! This batch I highly recommend!
@@lxiaspb nice haul 🙂 I have an old bottle of Springbank 10 and a Kilkerran CS on my shelf (not sure which batch without looking). Especially looking forward to that Kilkerran.
