Cask 88 Laphroaig 2001 Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

Cask 88’s Cailleach Beira
(Credit: Cask 88)

Independent bottler Cask 88 has done some pretty fine work in the past, and anything Islay and well-aged coming out of such a bottler is guaranteed to grab a certain amount of attention. So it is with Cailleach Beira, a Laphroaig distilled in 2001 and aged for 19 years. Building on that is a finish in a first-fill Château Léoville-Las Cases Bordeaux barrique, that the end whisky was bottled at cask strength (53.9% ABV), and the production run yielded just 258 bottles.

The Scotch
A pour of this malt has a light amber appearance. The nose is an airy one, and that breezy air blew over a field of dry, uncut hay on its way in. The official tasting notes called on “wholemeal toast,” which I suppose I got in my own way, but I didn’t find any of the other ascribed characteristics…. but I must also confess I did not add any water, as the nosing didn’t indicate the whisky required dilution. With just the one pour’s worth to work with, I simply chose not to go there, so perhaps some water would have opened things up. Past that, there wasn’t much in the scent to speak of; the hay sat atop any fainter notes and the airy character dispersed them.

But the flavor, that is a different story. Here, the whisky is very much a Laphroaig in late middle age.  Hoary,  a little honeyed, spiced with cinnamon, accented with ash and a sliver of wood, and accompanied by a lovely cherry jam note. It’s strong, flavorful, lovely, and the choice of finishing cask was first rate. The finish ran on the ashy note, of course, joined by a little spice and woody trailing behind.

I wanted to give this bottling an A-, but my problems with the nosing held me back. For those who aren’t into nosing as much as I am, it would be a pretty good acquisition.

The Price
£475 or $600 per 700ml bottle.