Laphroaig (pronounced la-froyg) is one of the most famous Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. Its range is the best selling of any in the peaty and smoky style and Islay category. The brand sits in the Top 5 for worldwide Scotch single malt sales. Only Glenfiddich, The Glenlivet, The Macallan and Glenmorangie outsell Laphroaig.
This 10 Years Old is the cornerstone of that success and is widely available acorss the globe. It was launched by Ian Hunter, the legendary Master Distiller at Laphroaig, in the early 1950s to capture the essence of the distillery’s island home.
Laphroaig was founded in 1815 by brothers Alexander and Donald Johnston on the south eastern coast of Islay. The famous whisky island sits at the southern end of the Hebridean chain, where it has two famous neighbours – Ardbeg and Lagavulin. The distillery is currently owned by Suntory Global Spirits and has an annual production capacity of 3.3 million litres.
Laphroaig is one of the few distilleries in Scotland that have their own floor maltings – a traditional room where the barley is left to germinate, turning starch to sugar. The malted barley is dried via peat fire for over 18 hours. This gives Laphroaig its intense, smoky flavour. The malt is peated to 50-55PPM (Phenol Parts per Million) with the majority of the resulting spirit matured in ex-bourbon casks. Prince Charles issued a Royal Warrant to Laphroaig in 1993 and it remains one of his favourite whiskies. The Warrant has remained and has recently been reissued by the now King Charles III.
Laphroaig 10 years old is matured in 100% ex-bourbon casks and released at 40% ABV. The green glass bottle with white label and black writing is iconic. It is widely available in supermarkets, convenience stores, bars and specialist whisky retailers worldwide. A bottle should cost £35-£40.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is bright gold and the nose is fruity, sweet and very smoky. Aromas of fresh apricot, heather honey and vanilla paste highlight the big, bold peat smoke. Imagine damp seaweed as the tide goes out, fresh bitumen, hot rubber and creosote fence paint. This sits alonside bonfire smoke and vegetal herbal aromas – think of green beans and pea pods, tarragon and damp moss.
On the palate this whisky is sweet and bold, heavy and smoky. A definitely saline minerality leads the way. You can almost taste the sea salt crystals. There is a lovely creamy and buttery vibe, like clotted cream, and lots of vanilla. The combination is reminiscent of salted butterscotch. Hints of white chocolate and cocoa powder.
Despite this, the smoke dominates. This gives an intense, almost antiseptic quality in the mouth. The smoke has several layers to it. There is a distinct medicinal vibe with notes of surgical bandage, TCP disinfectant and iodine. These mix with more earthy notes – think of wet moss, damp earth and drying seaweed again. It becomes more bitter towards the end. This has fresh oak and herbaceous notes.
The finish is long and smoky. The sweet characteristics slowly fade, while the earthy and coastal vibes of peat smoke linger and wisp around each other. The whisky becomes more ashy with time and this gives a pleasant dryness. A pinch of white pepper heat also comes through.
What’s The Verdict?
This is a great example of an Islay whisky. These heavily peated whiskies can be divisive – some people love them and some people hate them. Either way, this Laphroaig 10 Years Old is an absolute classic. It remains the pinnacle and standard bearer for the peated Islay style and outsells everything else significantly.
The delicious notes from the ex-bourbon barrels really let the heavily peated spirit shine. The charismatic smoke wraps around everything. Laphroaig call it ‘The Original One’ and it lives up to that tag. It does feel like the whisky that all other Islay whiskies want to be compared to.
