On the rocks, almost touching the water, stands a distillery founded in 1815 by the Johnson brothers. Bright white buildings, with a large golden sign displaying the distillery’s name, stand out against the backdrop of the ocean shore. They are so close to the water that on stormy days, the waves crash against their smooth walls.
This is Scotland, the Hebrides islands in the northwest of the country, islands with soft, clear water sources, high-quality raw material for whiskey production. And the most important factor is the workforce, the professionals behind the whiskey. It’s hard to understand them in conversation, their accent is heavy, and some—especially the older ones—speak Gaelic, an ancient Scottish language that’s difficult for an untrained ear.
Laphroaig whiskey has a fascinating story, the story of Lady Bessie Williamson (1910-1982), who was the first female manager of a distillery, the only woman in the distillation world at that time. The whiskey produced here, named after Lady Williamson, is aged and of the highest local reputation and quality.
The whiskey: Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 25 Years. This special single malt whiskey is made through an ancient and complex process, where the malting stage is halted using smoke. At the end, local peat from the island is added to the fuel materials, giving the drink its characteristic taste of wet earth, peat rich in salt, and iodine from seaweed. This whiskey comes at “cask strength,” meaning it is not diluted before bottling, with an alcohol content of 53.4%. It has notes of vanilla, dried fruits, a lot of American white oak, alongside bourbon whiskey aromas, as the source of the barrels. The finish is very fruity, a reminiscence of the sherry wine from the years spent in the casks. It holds the royal warrant of the British monarchy, Royal Warrant. Average price: 373 euros.
