Laphroaig PX Cairdeas & Sherry Oak 10 Year Reviewed

Today we’re going to take a look at two new sherried expressions coming from Laphroaig. The 2021 PX Cairdeas ($100-$120) and the 10-year Sherry Oak Finish ($70-$90) are currently both on store shelves. They will also be the final Laphroaig release by their Distillery Manager, John Campbell, who is leaving the company sometime this month to, “take up a new challenge at an independent distillery company.” I’ll go ahead and say that by releasing these two, he went out with a bang! The PX Cairdeas (remember it’s pronounced somewhere between “gorgeous” and “car chase”) is a limited-edition malt meant to celebrate the Friends of Laphroaig (“Càirdeas” means “friendship” in Gaelic). It was triple matured in American oak ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by quarter casks and finally in European oak hogsheads containing PX sherry. This is meant to create a complex expression that is full of character and is bottled at cask strength (117.8 proof) to ensure rich and intricate flavors. The Laphroaig 10 Year Sherry Oak Finish takes the bold flavors of the standard 10 year and adds a touch of sweetens from the finishing in Oloroso sherry casks to “round the edges” a bit. Each European oak sherry cask was carefully selected and chosen to complement and lend complexity to their quintessential single malt. I have to agree that they hand selected the casks, since I get very clean sherry without even a hint of sulphur. So, let’s try them side-by-side and give John Campbell a tip of the cap for a job well done.
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As of November 2021, my current bottle count is over 2,600. I am a Certified Specialist of Spirits and have also been accredited by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). I've been actively collecting for more than two decades and what started as a small basic home bar has transformed (with the help and understanding of my wonderful wife) into this collection and career. Speaking of my career, our new “Saints Alley Bourbons” have hit Total Wine shelves and they've been popular! We just finished bottling Batch 2, and given my knowledge and high standards, you know I’m working hard with my team to keep giving you some amazing releases! Thanks for watching and remember to please drink responsibly. Cheers!