Laphroaig distillery is located at Port Ellen on Islay and it is believed that the Johnston family began farming at this location in around 1800. They then supposedly founded a distillery in 1815, but didn't get a license until some years later.

Donald Johnston became sole owner after buying out his brother in 1836, but died in 1847 when he fell into a vat of whisky!

Laphroaig remained within the family until 1954 when Ian Hunter died without heirs and left it to Bessie Williamson.

Bessie had joined Laphroaig for a three month summer job thanks to her uncle Willie, accountant to Ian Hunter, Laphroaig owner at that time and after proving invaluable she remained for 40 years, eventually owning the distillery as mentioned above.

Knowing that further investment to reach global markets was required, Bessie sold Laphroaig to Long John International in the early 1960's.

Allied Domecq acquired the distillery in 1990 and in 1994 Prince Charles visited the distillery and gave it his Royal Warrant.

In 2005 Laphroaig was acquired by Fortune Brands, a division of Beam spirits.

More great distillery info here, thanks to Malt Madness

Laphroaig, 10y, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich gold

Nose: A long walk on an Islay beach, carrying a lump of peat on a misty morning, just after the tide receded,

Palate: Massive peat, growing even richer on the palate over the first few seconds. Also creamy seaweed and toasted wood smoke.

Overall Impression: How can anyone argue with the definitive Laphroaig, although is it my imagination, or does the 10y expression of today have less iodine on the palate than that of 10-20 years ago? In the mood for peat? Then go for this one!

Laphroaig, 18y, 48% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich oak, amber

Nose: Glowing peat embers on an open fire with just a dash of papaya and apple.

Palate: Deliciously smooth, slightly fruity peat and light smoke with a hint of fresh Atlantic breeze.

Finish: Long, gentle peat, Atlantic sea-air and very slightly bitter at the end.

Overall Impression: A very civilised and most enjoyable Laphroaig.

Laphroaig, Quarter Cask, 48% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Spiegelau

Colour: Warm gold

Nose: This takes a couple of minutes to develop, starting with gently smoked ham, then opening to a peaty smokiness and finally a full peat bog right alongside the Atlantic Ocean.

Palate: Creamy peat which just expands across the palate with an Atlantic jetty for a companion.

With 3 drops of water: A little more intense on the palate, more warming and even a touch of liquorice in the finish.

Overall Impression: This is a wonderfully sophisticated peat experience, but with any ferocity or sharp edges to discomfort the palate. It is undoubtedly a Laphroaig, but without the raw iodine elements of the 10y expression. A delightful dram!

Laphroaig, Triple Wood, 48% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€ to €€€€€

Nose: Peat, seaweed, malt and (wood) smoke all sitting in an old deep-buttoned leather chair and surrounded by oak book shelves

Palate: Rich, deep, complex and mature with raspberries and bramble (blackberry) jam to the fore, but the aftertaste is dominated by peat, smoke, sea air and just a touch of salt.

Overall Impression: Make no mistake, this is a real Laphroaig in a smooth, rich and mature way, with the more typical Laphroaig traits dominating the aftertaste and not the initial palate. I love this whisky!

Laphroaig, Cairdeas 2009, 12y, 57.5% ABV

Feis Ile 2009 bottling

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Pale Yellow

Nose: Sweet aromatic light rubber, then gently smoked peat left out on an Atlantic jetty to dry.

Palate: Initially creamy fruit (redcurrants and berries) but this soon dissipates to leave a pile of peat sunbathing on a Sunny Atlantic beach.

With 3 drops of water: An extra helping of smoky peat comes to the nose. The palate is smoother, but loses the fruit and gains much more peat-power.

With a further 3 drops of water: Peat, (wood) smoke and pure Atlantic air.

Finish: Long and peaty, more so with water.

Overall Impression: The initial nose was quite aromatic with a little rubber alongside the normal Laphroaig traits, but the addition of water soon turned this into a more traditional and very powerful Laphroaig. This is a very good bottling, I love it!

Laphroaig, Cairdeas 2010, Masters Edition, 57.5% ABV

Feis Ile 2010 bottling

"A range of spirit from 11 to 19 years old"

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Very pale yellow

Nose: Gentle smoke, light peat, salt and hints of light leather.

Palate: Subtle smoke and peat with the faintest suggestion of fruit.

With 3 drops of water: Sligthly more pepper (tingle) but an introduction of faint treacle toffee and popcorn alongside a sligthly stronger peat influence.

With 3 more drops of water: A slightly fresher nose but again more pepper (tingle) on the palate with even more peat, popcorn and treacle toffee.

Finish: Very long, almost everlasting with more water, but with slight hints of liquorice rigth at the end.

Overall Impression: This is a rather different Laphroaig. It's sophisticated and subtle but the addition of water removes some of the subtleness. This is another extremely good Laphroaig and those subtle overtones reflect the inclusion of some older vintages in the recipe. Excellent!

Laphroaig, 10y Cask Strength, 57.8% ABV

Batch 001, bottled Feb. 2009

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich, glowing amber

Nose: Initially slightly toasted peat, opening quickly to include the smoke of an open bonfire in the middle of a Scootish jetty in the Atlantic.

Palate: A rich Laphroaig with lots of peat, little smoke and a faint medicinal touch.

With 3 drops of water: Much more smoke on the nose. A creamy palate of full-strength peat.

With 3 more drops of water: Smoke and sea-air in abundance on the nose. In-depth, slightly medicinal peat on the palate.

Overall Impression: A wonderful Laphroaig which takes a little water to really open to full effect.

Laphroaig, 10y Cask Strength, 58.3% ABV

Batch 002, bottled Jan. 2010

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Dram-atics Advent-urous live review

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Amber

Nose: Uncompromising power with true Islay peat and lots of it, but also plenty of that Laphroaig maritime 'je ne sais quoi' which personnifies the slightly dilapidated wood of an old Islay jetty, soaked for many years in the salty Atlantic. I do like a good Laphroaig nose and this is certainly one of them.

Palate: Quite smooth as the peat encompasses the palate and just grows almost exponentially on it.

With 4 drops of water: the nose sympathises even more with The Atlantic whilst the palate lightens sligthly even to the point of gaining a little fruit.

A further 4 drops of water: bring some of that light fruit to the nose and smoothens the palate much more too.

Finish: Very long and very peaty with a little of that fruit making an appearance too. In fact at this stage the fruit is almost red apple.

Overall Impression: I'm not sure this is quite as good as batch 001 in 2009, but it is good, very good and thank you very much, I think I'll have another!

D. Laing, Old Malt Cask, Laphroaig, distilled 1992, 12y, 50% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Typical Laphroaig, peat, smoke and sea-air. But not in a medicinal way. In fcat, further nosing even identifies a little blue cheese.

Palate: Tingling peat and smoke, but less pungent than the OB 10y.

Overall Impression: A good Laphroaig which, as the age suggests, lies in taste between the OB 10y & 15y.

The Perfect Dram, Laphroaig, distilled 1986, 23y, 60.9% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich gold, amber

Nose: Quite fierce leather hiking boots in mid-Summer, walking through a field of honey.

Palate: Lots of alcohol, then fruit and peat. It needs water.

With 5 drops of water: The nose is definitely more aromatic with that honey field.

With 5 more drops: Wow, the nose really has opened to illustrate sea-shells in a peat bog, right alongside the Atlantic. The palate is still very intense.

With 10 more drops: The nose is now extremely aromatic Atlantic air and peat. The palate is really quite fruity (almost apricot)  peat and (wood) smoke.

Finish: Very long.

Overall Impression: Don't be shy with the water and this dram really will please! Very different and very enjoyable.

D. Laing, Old Malt Cask Laphroaig, 20y, 50% ABV

Special bottling for La Maison Du Whisky

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich gold

Nose: Toasted malt, faint rubber, peat and an Atlantic harbour or fishing village.

Palate: Rich and smooth with fruity reminders of Summer berries, but also mature peat and smoke in a light, Summery kind of way.

With 5 drops of water: A lighter, fruitier nose and the palate has 'grown' somewhat to enhance the peat.

With 4 more drops of water: Warming peat with the fruit relogated to the background.

Finish: Long, even longer with water.

Overall Impression: Once again fruit plays a part in this whisky but the peat dominates overall. This is undoubtedly a mature Laphroaig, the iodine, seaweed and Atlantic are not present and water is required is required to get the best out of this dram, but when added it rewards thoroughly and turns into a very good and extremely solid whisky.

The Whisky Exchange "Lp1", 58.8% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

"Dram-atics" live review

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Dark (21ct) gold

Nose: Light smoke and peat, but lots of fruit. This also has hints of sligthly smoky ham, not an intense Black Forest ham, but more like a local "black-smoked" ham which we buy.

Palate: Creamy and peaty, this would be the perfect flavour for a peat ice cream! But again it needs water.

With 4 drops of water: The nose has developed a specific apricot aroma alongside the peat and the palate is already smoother with peat and fruit.

With 4 more drops: The peat is more intense but the fruit has been replaced by more maritime aromas. The palate is turning into 'Islay at its best' with intense peat and (wood) smoke.

A further 4 drops: A much more maritime nose but the palate is now weakened a little too much. There's still peat and smoke, but all intensity is lost with this latest addition of water.

Finish: Long, long, peat.

Overall Impression: I'm amazed by the amount of fruit in this Laphroaig, but don't worry, it's a genuine Laphroaig with that iodine, smoke and peat when water is added, just don't add too much. A very good whisky.

Whisky Agency 12y, 1998-2010, 52.4% ABV

"Liquid Library" series

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Munich whisky fair

Colour: Pale yellow

Nose: Peat, smoke and that indisputable Scottish open countryside alongside Balck-Forest ham!

Palate: An Islay peat block served wrapped in Black Forest ham with a hint of white pepper.

Finish: Long with faint pepper and green apples.

Overall Impression: A very nice Laphroaig indeed!

David Stirk, Laphroaig 14y, Oct. 1996, 50.8% ABV

"Exclusive malts" series, Cask 7317, one of 332 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Dram-atics Live (and blind) Review

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: Cherry schnapps, smoke, wood and a good dose of Atlantic sea-air.

Palate: Lots of fruit alongside wood-smoke and faint peat.

Finish: Very long with equal amounts of fruit and sweet peat.

Overall Impression: I really didn't feel any need to add water to this sample which I tasted blind. It's an atypical Laphroaig but a most enjoyable one.

Whisky Agency, Laphroaig 20y, 1991-2011, 53.3% ABV

"Liquid Sun" series, Sherry Hogshead, one of 279 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich amber, maybe almost teak

Nose: Lots of lightly polished smoky oak which slowly expands to include a faint rubberiness. There's also a fruitiness which reminds me of red berries and then a faint suggestion of nuts. Somehow I wonder if this is what it would be like treading a fruit and nut mixture in an old oak vat wearing rubber wellies.

Palate: Very creamy mouth-feel and lots of vanilla, yes really, even though this is a sherry cask. It's almost like a bourbon (the vanilla not the whisky) vanilla sauce. This is soon replaced by expanding peat smoke, apricot and toasted wood as I detect a definite change to more typical sherry cask characteristics.

Finish: Very long, very rich and slightly dry.

Overall Impression: What a surprising whisky. There's just so much happening on both nose and palate. Wonderful indeed!

Whisky Agency, Laphroaig 21y, 1990-2011, 55.9% ABV

"Private Stock" series (a joint bottling with TWE), Bourbon Hogshead, one of 264 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Very pale (9ct) yellow gold

Nose: Lots of glowing enbers, fresh Atlantic sea-air and some toffee-apple. In fact this is so reminiscent of my childhood bonfire nights (you know, Nov. 5th when we celebrate Guy Fawkes failure to blow up the Houses of Parliament) but in this case held on an Atlantic beach.

Palate: Even more peat on the palate, in fact that bonfire just exploded in a very peaty way. It's also really quite fruity and suggests hot raspberries swimming in vanilla sauce.

Finish: Long and gently peaty.

Overall Impression: If only those childhood bonfires would have been held on an Atlantic beach! This is wonderful whisky, lots of peat but fruity too. I love that nose, but the palate isn't bad either.

Wilson & Morgan, Laphroaig 21y, 1990-2011, 56.3% ABV

"Barrel Selection" series, cask 2351, bottle 212 of 215 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle €€€€€ (right on the limit at €150)

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich amber, not quite treacle toffee.

Nose: A very generous portion of raisins and plums marinated in amaretto and served in a toasted oak basket. A hint of brandy snap too. An initial light smokiness expands with time in the glass.

Palate: Quite unusual here with a suggestion of richly sherried wood, gently smoky peat and an underlying fruitiness.

Finish: Long, rich and succulent.

Overall Impression: Excellent, truly excellent. I'm really getting to like the idea of sherried Laphroaig.

A.D. Rattray, Laphroaig 25y, 24.2.1986-24.2.2011, 60.6% ABV

Bourbon Cask No.2123

Typical cost of this bottle €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: 21ct yellow gold

Nose: An initial burst of galia melon and papaya is followed by a suggestion of cherry wood. After 3-5 minutes a smokiness begins to appear which is followed after 2-3 more minutes by a slightly antiseptic suggestion.

Palate: An initially smooth mouth-feel offers an expanding fruity punch and a light pepperiness. This expands to include lots more fruit and then light peat.

Finish: Very long and fruity with a mild peatiness.

Overall Impression: Another truly excellent Laphroaig approaching "Greatness", but not quite.

Hart Bro's, Laphroaig 18y, April 1990 - Dec. 2008, 46% ABV

"Finest Collection" series

Typical cost of this bottle €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Extremely pale.

Nose: Leafy light rubber is followed just for a second or tow by a suggestion of milky baby vomit. Come to think of it this could be what peaty Ovaltine would be like?

Palate: Much more solid than the nose as a creamy peatiness expands to include red berries, then that leafiness leads into the finish.

Finish: Very long, leafy and peaty.

Overall Impression: A rather strange nose let this one down somewhat for me.

Signatory, Laphroaig 16y, 4.4.1995-16.6.2011, 57.4% ABV

"Cask Strength Collection" Bourbon Barrel No.44, bottle No.18 of 140

Typical cost of this bottle €€€€€

Reviewed as part of MMA 2011

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Bright golden yellow.

Nose: Very aromatic and lots of fresh air which reminds me of freshly washed blankets with conditioner hanging out to dry. This is followed by a gradually expanding leafiness accompanied by peat smoke. Do Lenor offer a peated version of their fabric conditioner? If so, I want it!

Palate: A surprising initial burst of creamy coconut with expanding peat which just expands and expands and expands .... Lots of Atlantic sea-air now too.

Finish: Long and peaty and continuing to expand.

Overall Impression: Wonderful. Lots of what I call traditional Laphroaig accompanied by plenty of not so traditional floral surprises. Another excellent Laphroaig.