Islay

Laphroaig 10 Year

The Laphroaig distillery was founded in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston and has a richly storied history on Islay. Though the distillery has changed ownership after passing out of the Johnston family’s hands in the mid-1950s, production has continued unabated. The current portfolio is large and made up of several age-statement offerings, some cycling in and out of availability, along with a few non-age statement whiskies. Few scotches are more common in liquor stores, restaurants and bars (and home bars), even those not specializing in whiskies, than the Laphroaig 10 Year. Because of its wide availability, it is often the first Islay or first scotch in general that some people experience. Another iconic feature of the brand is the Friends of Laphroaig, a brand loyalty program established in 1994 that purports to give the purchaser of every bottle of the brand a lifetime lease of a square foot of Islay, though the program was revamped in 2020. A popular feature of visiting the distillery is being shown one’s personal square foot while enjoying a dram.

By Adam | April 20, 2021 | Islay | No Comments |

There has been a growing trend for the past decade and more of fading age statements on scotches as distilleries are feeling the crunch in supply from demand in an exploding global market. Brands have replaced age statements with whiskies lacking them, to varying success, so it is a surprise to see a major distillery like Ardbeg release a new core offering to their line that carries an age statement. Even more unusual is that it is a young age. The unofficial benchmark for most single malts to list their age is 10 years, as evidences by the many 10 or 12-year scotches on the market. Going younger, especially to 5 years – only two years more than the minimum regulated age required to even be called a whisky in the EU – is even more against the grain. While the Wee Beastie is so named to market the rawness of youth, it already holds a place of interest simply for its bold choices.

By Adam | April 5, 2021 | Islay | No Comments |

Ardbeg added another entry to their main line in 2017, the An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is named after the Mull of Oa located near the distillery. It was released with a quirky little video by way of introduction. The focus of the An Oa is that it has spent time in Ardbeg’s gathering vat, where whisky from many different cask types are blended together. The casks included here are from new charred oak, ex-PX sherry, and first fill bourbon casks, though there is no information on how much of each kind is included. There is also no information on how old any of the whiskies blended into this single malt are, though that is common for No Age Statements.

By Adam | April 5, 2020 | Islay | No Comments |

Islay

Laphroaig 10 Year

Ardbeg 5 Year Wee Beastie

Ardbeg An Oa