Laphroaig 10 Year Old 1969 / Carlton Import, US

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile.

Distilled under the care of Bessie Williamson, this Laphroaig would have been distilled in the late 1950s and bottled ten years later.

This particular bottle of Laphroaig is from the 1969 rotation and was imported into the US by the Carlton Company. A truly fantastic example of Laphroaig. Whisky author Emmanuel Dron has described these Laphroaig as some of the best he ever tasted.