Another of the Kildalton triumvirate, Laphroaig is a substantial distillery with seven stills and a capacity of over 3m litres per annum (that’s 1m more than Lagavulin and 2m more than Ardbeg).

Unusually for a distillery of this size Laphroaig has retained its own floor maltings which still account for 20% of its requirements. They have been retained specifically because it is believed that the Laphroaig kiln produces a more creosote-like phenolic character than the malt the distillery receives from the Port Ellen maltings. Certainly, a tarry iodine note is one of the signatures of the spirit.

The odd number of stills includes a spirit still which is double the size of its neighbours. As this produces a different character new make it is always blended in with those from the smaller ones.

A very long fore shot run means there are less estery notes in the new make, while a deeper cut means that heavier phenolics are captured compared to Ardbeg and Lagavulin. Its distinct sweet note therefore comes from the preferred cask type used – ex-Bourbon barrels. These, the distillery says, became the norm at Laphroaig post-Prohibition when Ian Hunter began travelling to the US. The effect of this type of oak is showcased in the Quarter Cask release where a vatting of younger Laphroaigs is finished in small casks. Some Sherry casks are in the inventory and are mostly used for longer-term maturation.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Deep, rounded, and muscular peat reek aromas. Peppery, tarry, full of iodine, seashore notes, TCP, bandages, and charred pineapple. Stunning distillate that has been very gently and beautifully rounded by refill wood.

Palate: Stunning intensity and power, yet with amazingly velvety and textural peat smoke, the perfect balance of dry smoke, with sweeter medicinal and peat flavours. Behind that comes fruits, green and exotic types, with beautiful coastal and mineral inflections.

Finish: Very long, richly peaty, smoky, tarry and medicinal, pure Laphroaig character and power with hints of citrus fruits fading long into the aftertaste.

About Laphroaig