Laphroaig
10 Year Old Island Single Malt
(Islay)
Laphroaig (Gaelic: "The beautiful hollow by the broad bay") has its own peat-beds on Islay and a beautifully-maintained floor maltings at the distillery. Its maturation warehouses face directly on to the sea.
The distillery was built in the 1820s by Donald and Alex Johnston whose family name is still on the label. In 1847 Donald died two days after falling into a vat of partially-made whisky.
Apparently during the American prohibition on alcohol the US government stopped the importation of Scotch. However some of the most phenolic stuff (ie Laphroaig) managed to slip through the net. It was being imported for medicinal purposes only.
This malt is the Islay with the strongest character. It tastes of iodine, peat and the sea. You either love it or you hate it.
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