I received this sample in a reddit swap with TWS member /u/kinohead when we met up for a pint in Toronto. I’m a big fan of the Quarter Cask, enjoyed the 10 thoroughly and love the Cairdeas Origin from 2012, so I have high hopes for this dram!

Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength batch 004 – 58.6% ABV

• Appearance: quite a deep orange, and appears thick and oily.
• Nose: less of a peat bomb on the nose than I expected. It’s there, but less so than the Cairdeas. Plenty of medicinal notes, and the heat is intense. Briney and salty. Reminds me of a Talisker nose in some ways. Plenty of smoke.
• Taste: wow there’s the peat! Tons of wood, ash, smoke, and peat. Lots of iodine and bandaids. Some sweet notes but they’re faint and overpowered by the peatiness. It is oily and thick in the mouth.
• Finish: lasts forever. Pretty sure if I didn’t brush my teeth tonight I’d taste this tomorrow. Warm in the esophagus. Some spiciness and tons of smoke.
• Rating: 93/100

this is just a fantastic dram. I’m not sure I could choose between the 10 CS and the Cairdeas. The former is more intense and I love it, the second is less intense but more refined and complex. They’re both amazing drams and I might just have to pick up a bottle of them when I go to Scotland next year!