Laphroaig

Laphroaig lies on the south coast of Islay, just outside Port Ellen, alongside Lagavulin and Ardbeg. It was founded in 1815 and is now owned by Suntory Global Spirits.

The spirit is heavily peated and known for its medicinal, iodine and seaweed character. Laphroaig is one of the few distilleries that still malts part of its own barley on traditional malting floors, drying it over fires of Islay peat, and it draws its water from the nearby Kilbride stream.

The 10 Year Old is the classic bottling, with Quarter Cask, Select, Lore and older age statements such as the 16 Year Old around it. Càirdeas is the yearly release for the Fèis Ìle festival and the Friends of Laphroaig, and there have been special editions such as the 15 Year Old made for the 200th anniversary.

Independent bottlings are common, from Signatory Vintage, Hunter Laing, Duncan Taylor, Master of Malt and others. Some appear without the distillery name, under labels such as Elements of Islay or The Character of Islay Whisky Company, so it pays to read the small print when comparing prices.