Is the New Laphroaig Cairdeas A First For the Islay Distillery?

Monday, 18 August 2025 at 07:02TTB

Every summer, a brand-new Laphroaig Cairdeas whisky rolls out for the Friends of Laphroaig. This forthcoming year, the Islay distillery has something special in store, according to the new label. A sweet Islay whisky matured in French oak, the Laphroaig Cairdeas French Oak.

FAQ

What is Laphroaig Cairdeas?
Cairdeas means "friendship" in Gaelic. It's the annual limited edition that Laphroaig specially crafts for its devoted fans.

What makes the new edition unique?
It's the first Laphroaig whisky that's been 100% matured in French oak barrels.

What can you expect from its taste?
The whisky is smoky, salty, and sweet, with notes of coffee, cherries, and the dark wood tones of French oak.

In the online TTB database, new labels for whiskys are regularly recorded by distilleries and whisky makers for a potential future release. While in many cases the divine spirit often appears shortly later, sometimes it just remains a label.

The Power of Cairdeas

For years, Laphroaig has been delighting its friends with the Cairdeas series. Where past editions played with sherry casks or experimental finishes, this year the distillery has chosen a special edition. The forthcoming Cairdeas whisky is a premiere for the Islay distillery.

The Laphroaig Cairdeas French Oak has matured entirely in French oak barrels, giving the Islay single malt whisky a unique character. The label indicates that fans can expect 'a new flavor dimension'.

What are the tasting notes of the Laphroaig Cairdeas French Oak whisky?

The label of the Laphroaig Cairdeas French Oak gives away the whisky's flavour profile.

Nose: Wood shavings and a glowing peat fire.
Palate: Plums, maraschino cherries, dark chocolate, and polished leather.
Finish: Salty with a long, smoky finish full of sea salt.

The distillery points out in the tasting notes that the whisky is 'Laphroaig as you've never tasted before.' The whisky is bottled at 52.6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

When is the Laphroaig Cairdeas whisky coming out?

Exactly when the new Laphroaig Cairdeas French Oak whisky will be released is unclear. We'll have to wait a bit, considering the previous edition has just been out for a few months.

Also, the price per bottle has not been revealed on the label.