Laphroaig 1998 Whisky Exchange 21 Year Old / TWS Old & Rare 2020

This is a 1998 vintage Laphroaig, bottled for The Whisky Exchange in London in 2019. This was presented as the exclusive bottling for the The Whisky Show Old & Rare in 2020, held in London for the first time that year.

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.

One of 322 bottles.