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Laphroaig 10 holds its ground among Islay’s lineup of whisky, smoke and leather
Aug
Classic flavours dominate the Laphroaig stable, with the very essence of maritime distilling pumped through its veins and especially through Laphroaig 10
Venturing onto Islay, you are met with a cacophony of smoky and peat flavours, and all wrapped up in the personality of the open sea that shapes it. But one distillery manages to shout louder than most – Laphroaig, a favourite of the British King, Scottish lords and their subjects throughout the land.
Owned today by Suntory Spirits, it’s forever rooted to the island of its birth, while holding court in international markets everywhere that whisky is poured.
The distillery sits on the edge of Loch Laphroaig, its namesake, and the staff there work hard to honour the tradition that was established in 1815. It’s got an unsurpassed pedigree and is a natural and much-loved part of the landscape.
Anyone who joins the Friends of Laphroaig club will receive a lifetime lease of 1 sq ft (932 cm2) of Islay land to call their own, a special gift that underpins the sense of ownership and respect the distillery wants to convey on its fans.
Here are three Laphroaig bottles from our shelves to help you understand the brand better.
Laphroaig 10
Jump onto the Laphroaig website and you’ll see that this famous Islay whisky is filed under the word Iconic. Despite it being what some people might consider an entry level bottle, this 10-year-old single malt is duly respected by its makers – offering up a huge bite of smoke, peat, seaweed and all round maritime whisky personality.
It’s bottled at 40%, which might suggest a simpler whisky, but for Islay fans, when they reach for the 10, they know they have a complex, rich, and full-bodied friend on their side.
Matured in bourbon and sherry, this classic Islay pour has a surprising sweetness, a hint of salt, and a lingering finish.
Laphroaig 13 Ian Macleod
When Indy bottler Ian Macleod chooses bottles for its Chieftains brand, it seeks to create rare pours that will appeal to connoisseurs, collectors, and determined enthusiasts.
This 13-year-old is no exception – a 13-year-old small batch release, it represents the very best of Laphroaig, Ian MacLeod and Islay. Matured in two single sherry butts from Oct 2005 until May 2019, it manages to amplify all the vintage, flavour profile and maritime influence of this excellent whisky.
Bottled at 48%, it comes wrapped in smoke seaweed and lashings of sweet, deep sherry notes. A great partner to Laphroaig 10.
Laphroaig Kinship 23
Hunter Laing, the independent bottler, came up with the idea of releasing an annual series of Islay malts to mark Feis Ile on the famous whisky island. This superb 23-year-old bottle will always be famous for being released to silence – the world was deep in lockdown when it emerged.
That year was the sixth edition of the series and despite the isolation it awoke to, it captures everything worth celebrating about Laphroaig – and then some.
It has the classic smoke, iodine and seaweed layers, but also a wonderful nuttiness with sweet layered-cake aromas all tied up with leather. Bottled at 50.5%
