Unusually for a distillery of its size, Laphroaig still maintains its own floor maltings, which supply 20% of its barley requirements. This is because the distillery believes that its kiln imparts a more creosote-like phenolic character to the malt compared to that sourced from Port Ellen maltings. The distinctive tarry iodine note is a signature of the spirit.
The distillery uses an odd number of stills, including a spirit still that is double the size of the others. This larger still produces a different character in the new make, which is then blended with the output from the smaller stills.
A very long fore shot run reduces estery notes in the new make, while a deeper cut captures heavier phenolics, resulting in a distinct sweetness from the preferred use of ex-Bourbon barrels. According to the distillery, these barrels became the standard post-Prohibition after Ian Hunter’s trips to the US. The Quarter Cask release highlights the effect of this oak, featuring younger Laphroaigs finished in smaller casks. Some Sherry casks are also used, primarily for longer maturation.
Many of Islay’s distilleries predate the official 1824 start date due to the influence of Islay’s laird, Walker Frederick Campbell. Known for his ‘improving’ approach, Campbell encouraged new businesses on the island. Islay’s existing reputation for moonshine made legal distilling a logical step, and Campbell’s involvement made it difficult to continue illicit practices.
In 1815, brothers Alexander and Donald Johnston established a distillery at Laphroaig. Donald managed the distillery until his tragic death in 1847, falling into a vat of boiling pot ale. Despite this, Laphroaig remained under D. Johnston & Co. until the 1960s.
The distillery’s rise began in the early 20th century with Donald’s great-grandson, Ian Hunter. In 1908, Hunter switched agents from Peter Mackie and initiated the construction of Malt Mill. By the 1920s, Laphroaig was sold as a single malt, and the number of stills was increased to four in 1924. Upon Hunter’s death in 1954, he left the distillery to his secretary, Bessie Williamson, who had managed it during his extensive travels.
In the 1960s, American distiller Schenley acquired a stake in Laphroaig, buying it outright in 1967. By the time Williamson retired in 1972, the distillery had expanded to seven stills. Following a series of ownership changes, Jim Beam purchased Laphroaig from Allied Distillers in 2005. That same year, Prince Charles awarded Laphroaig a Royal Warrant. Additionally, the Friends of Laphroaig was launched in 1994, becoming the first modern ‘member’s association’ with 638,000 members. A creative marketing initiative by manager Iain Henderson allowed members to lease a square foot of Islay, receiving a miniature of Laphroaig as annual ‘rent’ redeemable at the distillery.
In 2014, Beam’s acquisition by Suntory led to the Japanese-American giant owning two of Islay’s eight distilleries.
