Laphroaig honours 200-year legacy with latest release
The Laphroaig distillery on the Isle of Islay's southern coast is to launch a new single malt, described as its "richest ever".
The new expression - Laphroaig Lore - draws on whiskies going back as far as 1993.
It has been matured in both smaller ex-bourbon American oak barrels and larger oloroso European oak hogsheads.
It is designed to honour the craft of Laphroaig's distillers and the legacy and skills they have handed down by word of mouth since the distillery was founded in 1815.
Distillery manager John Campbell said: "Over the generations, distillery managers like me have made their own contributions to the quality and character of Laphroaig.
"From the founding of Laphroaig, these custodians have each made their own mark, whether it was drying the malting barley at lower temperatures than most, using two sizes of spirit still, pioneering the use of ex-Bourbon barrels, or reintroducing the quarter cask to Scotch whisky-making.
"Each of these decisions have made Laphroaig the unique, premium whisky it is today. We make the whisky we make because of what has been passed on down to us.
"Laphroaig Lore is the story of Laphroaig itself.
"It's a massive whisky, as bold as it is deep, and one that I sincerely hope does justice to the many generations of Laphroaig distillery managers. It's our story, bottled: the richest of the rich."
The recipe for Laphroaig Lore is said to date back to 1800, before the distillery was established, and was the creation of founders Alexander and Donald Johnston.
Laphroaig Lore has an abv of 48% and will retail at £75.
It will be available from mid-March.
Laphroaig now forms part of Beam Suntory's portfolio of Scotch whiskies alongside Bowmore and Ardmore and is distributed in the UK by Maxxium.
It is the number-one best-selling Islay single malt and is one of the last distilleries to still use its traditional malting floors and to dry and infuse its own malt using old peat-fired kilns.
Other distilleries on Islay include Bunnahabhain, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Bruichladdich in the north and Lagavulin and Ardbeg in the south.
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56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9AN
Registered in England No. 6646125. VAT No. 938 4452 95
