[FONT="]Welcome to the B&B Speakeasy Spirit of the Month![/FONT]
[FONT="]Our selection for April 2009 will be Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky[/FONT]
[imga=left]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/16596/full[/imga]The weather's getting warmer, but the wind and damp still lingers 'round most of the places we call home. And there's no wrong season for Scotch. So, we've decided to pull out one more delicious single malt whisky before moving into the lighter, warmer-month liquors beginning next month.
You'll remember a few months back we went with delectably peaty malts from the Ardbeg distillery, and this month we'll raise yet another Islay as a comparison. Also situated on the southern coast of Islay, Laphroaig is only about 3km from the Ardbeg distillery. Laphroaig (pronounced with a "-froyg" -- I can't tell you how long I was pronouncing it completely wrong) is thought to be one of the most strongly flavored of all Scotch whiskeys, owing to the 35ppm peating and notably soft water from the Kilbride Dam.
"Officially" founded in 1815 (although its thought to be a few years older) by the brothers Alexander and Donald Johnston and remained in the family until passing to the secretary of the heirless owner in 1954, Bessie Williamson, making her the first female distillery manager in Scotland. Currently owned by Allied Distillers, Laphroaig has an annual production of around 2 million liters and uses approximately half its product for its own single-malt bottlings. In 1994, Laphroaig was the first distillery to receive a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales, reportedly as the 15yr is his favorite Scotch Whisky.
[imga=right]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/16597/full[/imga]Laphroaig offers a myriad of expressions, beginning with their ubiquitous and pungent 10yr bottling and progressing up through rare 30 year and older bottlings. Although the ABV was standardized to 80pr in 2005, some older bottles of the original 86pr can still be found and Laphroaig offers "quarter cask" (matured in small casks, mimicking bygone distilling methods, maximizing whisky-to-wood contact, and bottled at a higher strength) and "cask strength 10yr" bottlings for those desiring the most unadulterated spirit. Laphroaig is often characterized by its smoky punch, a medicinal quality and a bit of seaweed concealing sweet and salty undertones which mature and flourish in the older expressions.
Thirsty B&Bers are welcome to sample and discuss any of the numerous Laphroaig expressions, although the standard 10yr is very widely available and should compare and contrast nicely with the Ardbeg. When you do pick up your bottle, however, make sure you punch in the UPC on the Laphroaig website to join the "Friends of Laphroaig" society, which earns you one square foot of land on Islay through which the water used to make the whisky drains. All friends are also entitled to visit their plot and receive their "rent" from the distillers -- a dram of their finest! And while you're at the website, make sure you take the video tour of the distillery too -- its very cool and informative.
Cheers!!
*And as always, you can review all of our previous Spirit of the Month selections on the B&B Wiki here!
[FONT="]Our selection for April 2009 will be Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky[/FONT]
[imga=left]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/16596/full[/imga]The weather's getting warmer, but the wind and damp still lingers 'round most of the places we call home. And there's no wrong season for Scotch. So, we've decided to pull out one more delicious single malt whisky before moving into the lighter, warmer-month liquors beginning next month.
You'll remember a few months back we went with delectably peaty malts from the Ardbeg distillery, and this month we'll raise yet another Islay as a comparison. Also situated on the southern coast of Islay, Laphroaig is only about 3km from the Ardbeg distillery. Laphroaig (pronounced with a "-froyg" -- I can't tell you how long I was pronouncing it completely wrong) is thought to be one of the most strongly flavored of all Scotch whiskeys, owing to the 35ppm peating and notably soft water from the Kilbride Dam.
"Officially" founded in 1815 (although its thought to be a few years older) by the brothers Alexander and Donald Johnston and remained in the family until passing to the secretary of the heirless owner in 1954, Bessie Williamson, making her the first female distillery manager in Scotland. Currently owned by Allied Distillers, Laphroaig has an annual production of around 2 million liters and uses approximately half its product for its own single-malt bottlings. In 1994, Laphroaig was the first distillery to receive a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales, reportedly as the 15yr is his favorite Scotch Whisky.
[imga=right]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/16597/full[/imga]Laphroaig offers a myriad of expressions, beginning with their ubiquitous and pungent 10yr bottling and progressing up through rare 30 year and older bottlings. Although the ABV was standardized to 80pr in 2005, some older bottles of the original 86pr can still be found and Laphroaig offers "quarter cask" (matured in small casks, mimicking bygone distilling methods, maximizing whisky-to-wood contact, and bottled at a higher strength) and "cask strength 10yr" bottlings for those desiring the most unadulterated spirit. Laphroaig is often characterized by its smoky punch, a medicinal quality and a bit of seaweed concealing sweet and salty undertones which mature and flourish in the older expressions.
Thirsty B&Bers are welcome to sample and discuss any of the numerous Laphroaig expressions, although the standard 10yr is very widely available and should compare and contrast nicely with the Ardbeg. When you do pick up your bottle, however, make sure you punch in the UPC on the Laphroaig website to join the "Friends of Laphroaig" society, which earns you one square foot of land on Islay through which the water used to make the whisky drains. All friends are also entitled to visit their plot and receive their "rent" from the distillers -- a dram of their finest! And while you're at the website, make sure you take the video tour of the distillery too -- its very cool and informative.
Cheers!!
*And as always, you can review all of our previous Spirit of the Month selections on the B&B Wiki here!
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