![]() All the stills are made of copper, which has the effect of stripping sulphuric flavor compounds from the spirit. The Laphroaig distillery has seven pot stills – three larger wash stills and four smaller spirit stills. DistillationĪfter fermentation, the wort has an alcohol content of 8.5% ABV. The fermentation process lasts a minimum of 55 hours. The sugary water (wort) is transferred to washbacks, where Laphroaig’s yeast is added to convert the sugars to alcohol while also developing flavor compounds responsible for Laphroaig’s fruity notes. ![]() The malted barley is then milled and placed in stainless steel mash tuns, where the barley is mashed with water from the Kilbride Reservoir and cooked to convert all the carbohydrates into sugars. ![]() The barley is then dried using hot air recycled from the still house. The peat is burnt at a relatively low temperature ( a cold smoking process) and is responsible for the typical tarry notes of Laphroaig. In a process lasting approximately 17 hours, the smoke (peat reek) rises through the perforated drying floor into the kiln, where the damp barley absorbs vaporized oils, phenolic compounds, and wood-based smokey flavors. The heat for the kilning is created using a peat-fired oven that uses moss from the Scottish peat bogs near the distillery and is hand-cut by distillery workers. Then, the water is drained, and the malt is transferred to the malting floors. How is Laphroaig Whisky Made? Image: Junichi Ishito Steepingīarley is soaked (steeped) for two days in water from the Kilbride Reservoir, allowing the barley seeds to germinate and release enzymes. When Ian Hunter took over in 1921, there was not much money available due to the many court cases, but he revitalized the distillery, and by 1923 the capacity had doubled. But, unfortunately, he could still not replicate the quality and flavor of Laphroaig. In 1908 Peter Mackie persuaded Laphroaig’s head brewer to work at Lagavulin, and he built an exact copy of the Laphroaig still house. The courts intervened quickly, and the water supply was restored. Without water, the distillery was unable to function. In 1907 Peter Mackie had Laphroaig’s distillery’s water supply, the Kilbride Stream, blocked off. accused Laphroaig of acting illegally but lost the court case. Finally, in the late 1880s, Laphroaig terminated their agreement. Selling most of their production to Mackie and Co troubled Dugald as it restricted Laphroaig’s ability to sell its single malt whiskey to a broader market. War with the NeighboursĪ large portion of Laphroaig’s production was sold for blending with grain whisky to their neighbors at Lagavulin, a company owned by Mackie and Co., who were Glasgow spirit and blending merchants. On his death in 1954, the distillery was left to one of his managers, Bessie Williamson, who retired in 1972.įrom 1962 when Bessie transferred ownership to Long John Internationa, the distilleries ownership was transferred to a procession of Scottish distilling companies and finally sold to Beam Suntory in April 2014. Ian Hunter, a nephew of Sandy Johnson, was the last Johnson to run the distillery. His Uncle John Johnston managed the distillery until 1857 when Dugald was old enough to take control. The only heir was his son Dugald who, at 11 years old, was too young to take control. Rumor has it that he drowned after falling into a vat of partially-made whisky. In 1815 Laphroaig whisky was “officially” born.ĭonald bought the farm from his brother Alexander who emigrated to Australia. ![]() The Johnston brothers decided to distill whiskey with the surplus barley.īy 1815 the reputation of the excellent quality of the whisky produced at Laphroaig had spread to the extent that it was more profitable to distill whisky than breed and raise cattle. Barley was grown for feed during the long winter months. Two brothers, Donald and Alexander, Johnston started to lease 1000 acres of land from the laird of Islay, now known as Laphroaig, for rearing cattle. HRH Prince Charles, now King Charles III, visited Laphroaig for the first time in 1994 and gave the distillery his Royal Warrant. The Laphroaig brewery was started in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston. The brand and distillery are owned and operated by Beam Suntory. Laphroaig is a single-malt scotch whisky brewed at the Laphroaig distillery, situated on the south coast of the island of Islay and named after the area near Loch Laphroaig.
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