There are bottles that speak in gentle whispers, and then there are those that shout across the wild sea air of Islay. The new 2025 Càirdeas release from Laphroaig, Lore Cask Strength, belongs firmly in the latter camp. Just launched in the US market, this single malt Scotch whisky arrives as a roaring ode to friendship — Càirdeas means “friendship” in Gaelic — and to the raw, uncompromising soul of Laphroaig itself.
Each year, the distillery offers a Càirdeas bottling timed with Fèis Ìle, the annual Islay festival that pulls peat pilgrims from all corners of the world. This time, they’ve given fans something as close to the source as possible: the beloved Lore expression, but bottled at a mighty 59.6% ABV, straight from the cask, just as the whisky makers savor it behind closed warehouse doors.
What sets Lore Cask Strength apart is its tapestry of five distinct casks, each lending its own voice to the chorus — from the salty zest that dances at the top of the glass to the earthy chorus of Islay peat below. It’s non-chill filtered, preserving the wild textures and briny whispers that make Laphroaig what it is.
On the nose, it’s a coastal campfire: bold peat smoke meets sweet, syrupy apricot and peaches, lemon cream, and an unexpected vanilla fudge softness. Beneath that sweetness hides a garden of basil and freshly mown grass, a touch of tobacco leaf, and a teasing flicker of white pepper.
The palate erupts with a volcanic peat blast, salty sea spray, and a tingle of pepper that brightens the senses. Zesty lemon, salted lime, and caramel come through next, grounding you in something at once familiar and entirely unexpected. The herbal finish of mint and tea leaves follows, giving way to a parade of warming spices — cumin, cloves, ginger — and a passing antiseptic note that longtime Laphroaig devotees will recognize like an old friend’s laugh.
Finally, the finish goes on and on, a citrus sweetness slowly fading into a lasting, phenolic embrace that feels like walking home after a bonfire on an Islay night.
Retailing for $110 per 750ml bottle, Laphroaig Càirdeas Lore Cask Strength invites you to sip it neat, over ice, or with a drop of water to coax out its depths. This is more than whisky — it’s an elemental love letter to peat, smoke, and the windswept shores where friendship is always just one dram away.
For more information, head over to the brand’s official website.
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