PX Cask

Laphroaig PX Cask represents a deliberate pivot for this famously peaty Islay distillery—a whisky where smoke takes a back seat to sweet sherry influence. Named for the Pedro Ximénez casks used in its final maturation stage, this single malt breaks from Laphroaig's medicinal tradition without abandoning it entirely.

The story lies in its triple maturation: initial aging in ex-bourbon barrels and quarter casks, followed by a finishing period in Pedro Ximénez casks—a sherry style prized for dark, concentrated fruit and natural sweetness. This layered approach creates a whisky where peat, fruit, and sherry negotiate constantly rather than dominate in turn.

On the nose, sweet sherry leads—raisins, candied citrus peel, vanilla, coconut—but Laphroaig's signature peat smoke emerges underneath, joined by warming spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. The palate leans sweeter than the classic 10-Year-Old, with dark dried fruit and hints of burnt caramel, yet smoke returns to grill the sweetness and prevent it from becoming cloying. Bottled at 48% ABV, this is a whisky that honors both sides of Laphroaig's character without capitulating to either.