Top-Flight Tasting: Laphroaig

Understand the House Style of Islay’s Classic Seaside Distillery

    Established in 1815 on the Scottish island of Islay, Laphroaig is the most richly flavored of all the Scotch whiskies. Named after the Loch Laphroaig on the south coast, the distillery’s location also informs it’s one-of-a-kind flavor profile.

    Set across the road from a peat field, all of Laphroaig’s single malts offer huge peat smoke, medicinal, and full of ozone characteristics. As its whitewashed buildings are likewise on the coast, the whiskies also offers salty undertones, with hints of seawood. Crucial too is the aging process, starting with whiskies a decade old and going up from there—though Laphroaig has been a top innovator in maturation too, with everything from triple wood finishing to the use of quarter casks. These are long, powerful whiskies meant for savoring.

Laphroaig® Single Malt Select
This special Laphroaig is created from carefully selected casks of each of our key styles stretching back in time with the heart of the spirit drawn from a final maturation in new, American oak casks. With spirit selected by our master distiller from Quarter Cask, our PX Cask and Triple Wood and a final addition of 10YO, it represents a subtle blending of peat, oak and sweetness.

Laphroaig® 10 Year Old 
Islay personified. The nose offers huge peat smoke, medicinal ozone characteristics, and just a hint of sweetness. The palate is more peat, with salty undertones and an echo of sweetness, leading to a long and powerfully smoky finish.

Laphroaig® 10 Year Old Cask Strength
Very powerful on the nose, with medicinal notes and hints of smoke and seaweed. The palate offers a massive burst of peat flavor with just a hint of sweetness.

Laphroaig® Single Malt Quarter Cask
The nose is burning embers of peat but with hints of coconut and banana. The palate is even more smoky, deep and complex but with an underlying sweetness.

Laphroaig® Single Malt Lore
After a triple maturation in three different types of cask, you get a deep mahogany whisky, heavy on the smoke and seaside minerals. The palate is even more peat, with a spicy chili bite, that leads to a short, dry finish and sweet aftertaste.

Laphroaig® Cairdeas Triple Wood Cask Strength
The 2019 bottling of this annual release celebrates the Friends of Laphroaig and marks the yearly Fèis Ìle Festival on Islay. This unique expression is a special triple maturation. Rich and punchy with smoke on the nose, the palate offers a more underlying nutty sweetness, much of it coming from maturation in oloroso sherry casks.

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