Laphroaig distillery

{{short description|Scotch whisky distillery on Islay, Scotland}}

{{Infobox Scottish Distillery

| Name = Laphroaig distillery

| Type = Islay

| Image = Laphroaig 10YO.JPG

| Image size = 250

| Caption = Laphroaig Whisky

| Location = Port Ellen

| Owner = Suntory Global Spirits

| Founded = 1815

| Status = Operational

| Source = The Kilbride Dam

| Mothballed =

| Stills = 3 wash
4 spirit{{Cite web|url=https://www.whisky.com/whisky-database/distilleries/details/laphroaig.html|title=Laphroaig|website=www.whisky.com}}

| Capacity = 3,300,000 litres{{Cite web|url=https://whiskymag.com/story/laphroaig:-its-all-about-the-peat|title=Laphroaig|publisher=The Whisky Mag}}

| Brand 1 = Laphroaig

| Type 1 =

| Age 1 = 10-year-old
10-year-old (cask strength)
10-year-old sherry oak finish
Lore
Select
Quarter Cask
Càirdeas
15-year-old (re-released 2015)
18-year-old (discontinued 2015)
25-year-old
27-year-old
30-year-old
32-year-old
40-year-old

| Cask 1 = American Oak Bourbon
Oak Quarter Cask
European Oak Oloroso sherry

| ABV 1 = 40%
43%
48%
55.3%

|image=Laphroaig Distillery - geograph.org.uk - 2531274.jpg}}

Laphroaig distillery ({{IPAc-en|audio=Laphroaig.ogg|l|ə|ˈ|f|r|ɔɪ|ɡ}} {{respell|lə|FROYG|'}}){{cite web| url=http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/pronounc.html | title=Pronunciation of Scotch Whiskys | access-date=19 April 2006 | author=John Butler|publisher=School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh}} is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery on Islay, Scotland. It is situated on the south coast of the island, near Port Ellen, at the head of a small bay known as Loch Laphroaig. The Lagavulin and Ardbeg distilleries are close by.

The distillery and brand are owned and operated by Suntory Global Spirits, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/suntory-buying-spirits-maker-beam-1362b-21511040|title=Business Index|website=ABC News}}

History

The Laphroaig distillery was established in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston.{{cite web |title=Our history |url=https://www.laphroaig.com/en/brand-house-history-heritage |publisher=Laphroaig distillery |access-date=3 February 2023}} The Johnstons who founded Laphroaig were from the Clan Donald and are likely to be from the MacIain of Ardnamurchan branch of the clan. The family anglicised their name to Johnston. The last member of the Johnston family to run the distillery was Ian Hunter, a nephew of Sandy Johnston, who died childless in 1954 and left the distillery to one of his managers, Bessie Williamson.

The distillery was sold to Long John International, a Scottish distiller in the 1960s. In 1973, Long John International and the distillery were acquired by Whitbread.{{cite book |last=Ritchie |first=Berry| date=1992 |title= An Uncommon Brewer, the Story of Whitbread |location=London |publisher=James & James |page=130 |isbn= 978-0907383369}}

In 1989, the distillery was sold by Whitbread to become part of Allied Domecq.{{cite book |last=Ritchie |first=Berry| date=1992 |title= An Uncommon Brewer, the Story of Whitbread |location=London |publisher=James & James |page=132 |isbn= 978-0907383369}}{{Cite news| issn = 0362-4331| last = Ap| title = COMPANY NEWS; Allied-Lyons Is Buying Whitbread Liquor Unit| work = The New York Times| access-date = 2018-07-21| date = 1989-12-23| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/23/business/company-news-allied-lyons-is-buying-whitbread-liquor-unit.html}} The brand was in turn acquired by Fortune Brands in 2005, as one of the brands divested by Pernod Ricard in order to obtain regulatory approval for its takeover of Allied Domecq.{{cite web| url=http://www.laphroaig.com/| title = Laphroaig Website (updated in 2011)}} Laphroaig has been the only whisky to carry the Royal Warrant of the Prince of Wales, which was awarded in person during a visit to the distillery in 1994.{{cite book|title=The Illustrated London News|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1wQrAQAAIAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Illustrated London News & Sketch Limited|page=56}} The distillery identifies Charles by his title of Duke of Rothesay, as he is recognised in Scotland. The 15-year-old is reportedly then Prince and now King Charles' favourite whisky.{{cite news | url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/weekend/king-charles-is-a-whisky-fan-preferring-single-malt-over-blends/1432640121.html | title=King Charles is a whisky fan, preferring single malt over blends | newspaper=Belfasttelegraph.co.uk | date=6 May 2023 }}

Fortune Brands split up its business product lines in 2011, forming its spirits business into Beam Inc.{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2011 |title=Beam Inc. Begins Life as a Pure-Play Spirits Industry Leader |url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/11266721/1/beam-inc-begins-life-as-a-pure-play-spirits-industry-leader.html |access-date=March 1, 2016 |website=TheStreet.com}} Beam was then purchased by Suntory Holdings in April 2014.{{Cite news |last=Horovitz |first=Bruce |date=January 13, 2014 |title=Suntory buys spirits maker Beam for $13.6B |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/13/suntory-buying-spirits-maker-beam/4450909 |work=USA Today}}

Taste

File:Sjb whiskey kiln.jpg"-style kiln chimney at Laphroaig]]

File:Expensive Laphroaig whiskies on Viking Amorella.jpg

File:Laphroaig Qarter Cask Triple Wood Drams.jpg

Laphroaig calls itself "the most richly flavoured of all Scotch whiskies", and is most frequently aged to 10 years, although the 15-year-old variety is common (the 27-, 30- and 40-year-olds are rare and expensive; the 18-year-old was discontinued in late 2015).Noah Rothbaum, [https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-survive-a-single-malt-drought-1453992195 "How to Survive a Single-Malt Drought"], Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2016. The whisky has a peaty/smoky flavour. Approximately 10% of their barley is malted on site using hand-cut peat from locations on Islay.

The Laphroaig Quarter Cask was introduced in 2004. This expression is aged in ex-bourbon barrels, is finished in smaller casks, and is not chill filtered.{{cite book |last1=Roskrow |first1=Dominic |last2=Smith |first2=Gavin D. |last3=Diebel |first3=Juergen |last4=Kergommeaux |first4=Davin de |title=Whiskey Opus: The World's Greatest Distilleries and Their Whiskey |year=2012 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-1-4654-0517-3 |page=139 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lgFq81yPywsC |language=en}} Due to the smaller barrels used, the oak surface contact is 30% greater than with standard barrels. The company describes the effect of this as "creating a soft and velvety edge". The Quarter Cask is bottled at 48% ABV (96 proof).Michael Jackson's Malt Whisky Companion, Edition 6, page 307. {{ISBN|978-1-4053-1966-9}} The 10-year-old standard-bearer is bottled at 40% or 43% ABV, depending on the local market.

There are also expressions now selling in Travel Retail: Laphroaig QA cask (matured in ex-bourbon barrels and virgin American oak casks), Laphroaig PX cask (matured in three types of wood – from American oak to Quarter Cask to Pedro Ximénez ex-sherry), Laphroaig An Cuan Mor – Big Ocean (matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and then in European oak).

Friends of Laphroaig

In 1994, the Friends of Laphroaig Club was established, members of which are granted a lifetime lease of up to {{convert|1|sqft|cm2}} per person of Laphroaig land on the island of Islay. The annual royalty from owning a plot is a dram of Laphroaig which can be obtained upon visiting the distillery.{{cite web| url=https://www.laphroaig.com/islay/our-plots/#joinfol | title=Friends of Laphroaig | access-date=5 December 2018 | publisher=Laphroaig}} Friends of Laphroaig was revamped in 2020, from lifetime status to an annualized tier-based system starting in 2021, whereby members gained annual access to club benefits commensurate with points earned under the programme's new rules.{{cite web| url=https://www.laphroaig.com/en/faqs-program-changes | title=Frequently Asked Questions: Friends of Laphroaig Program Changes | access-date=15 February 2021 | publisher=Laphroaig}}{{cite web| url=https://www.laphroaig.com/en/friend-of-laphroaig-plots-programme | title=Join New Friends of Laphroaig | access-date=15 February 2021 | publisher=Laphroaig}}

Advertising

In early 2016, Scottish poet Elvis McGonagall began appearing in online ads, reciting his own poetry as he humorously discussed the correct pronunciation of Laphroaig whisky.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTHB7_ILleg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/NTHB7_ILleg |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=A Burns Night Ode to Laphroaig by Elvis McGonagall|last=Laphroaig Whisky|date=20 January 2016|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

In October of 2016, comedian Andy Daly performed a 3.5 hour filibuster by reading customer reviews of Laphroaig Single Malt scotch whisky.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHCECpVKldE |title=One Whisky, Many Opinions, 3.5 Hour Filibuster |date=2016-10-27 |last=Laphroaig Whisky |access-date=2024-10-31 |via=YouTube}}

Managers

James A. McLennan 1919{{cite news |author= |title=Distillery Appointment for Dufftown Native | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000576/19190625/040/0004 |newspaper=Aberdeen Press and Journal |location=Scotland |date=25 June 1919 |access-date=5 September 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (formerly manager of the Bowmore distillery)
Edward Shaw 1928-32{{cite news |author= |title=Distillery Gifts | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19740329/542/0025 |newspaper=Aberdeen Press and Journal |location=Scotland |date=29 March 1974 |access-date=5 September 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (afterwards manager of the Glenburgie distillery)
John MacDougall 1970-74{{cite news |author= |title=New Manager for Distillery | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19740410/272/0009 |newspaper=Aberdeen Press and Journal |location=Scotland |date=10 April 1974 |access-date=5 September 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (afterwards manager of Tormore distillery)
Dennis Nicol 1974-80
Murdo Reed 1980-87 (afterwards manager of Tormore distillery)
Colin Ross 1987{{cite news |author= |title=New manager at Long John's Laphroaig distillery| url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19870731/208/0010 |newspaper=Aberdeen Press and Journal |location=Scotland |date=31 July 1987 |access-date=5 September 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}-89 (formerly manager of the Ben Nevis distillery)
Iain Henderson 1989-2002
Robin Sheilds 2003-2005
John Campbell 2006-2021
Barry MacAffer 2021-2024{{Cite web |title=Das Laphroaig Distellerie-Team - Islay Peated Whisky - Laphroaig |url=https://www.laphroaig.com/gb/meet-distillery-team |access-date=2022-07-13 |website=www.laphroaig.com}}
George Campbell 2024- https://www.whiskymag.com/articles/former-tour-guide-returns-to-laphroaig-as-distillery-manager/

References

= Notes =

= Bibliography =

{{cite book|last=van Gils|first=Marcel|title=Legend of Laphroaig|year=2007|publisher=Exhibitions International|location=Odijk, The Netherlands |isbn=9789089100276}}
{{cite book|last=Jefford|first=Andrew|title=Peat Smoke and Spirit: A Portrait of Islay and its Whiskies|year=2004|publisher=Headline|location=London|isbn=0747227357 }}
{{cite book|last=Nown|first=Graham|title=Laphroaig: No Half Measures|year=1997|publisher=D. Johnston & Co|location=Dumbarton|isbn=0946555427|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/laphroaignohalfm00nown}}