Description
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Laphroaig 1976 Vintage Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2018) 70cl
1 of 5400 bottles produced
A 1976 vintage release from Laphroaig. 1976 was the haymaking summer everyone remembers.
This vintage 1976 Laphroaig single malt was bottled in the early 1990's and was only made available because the distillery owners bought back casks previously sold to a private owner.
A superb Islay classic malt that was highly rated by the hugely respected connoisseur/whisky author, the late Michael Jackson, and was awarded 93 points on the popular WhiskyFun review site.
One of just 5,400 limited bottling's, of which are now extremely rare, this epic collectible has a good neck fill and comes complete with original presentation carton - which is sporting a few minor creases, visible on the image inset.
Laphroaig distillery is an Islay single malt Scotch whisky distillery. It is named for the area of land at the head of Loch Laphroaig on the south coast of the Isle of Islay. The meaning of the toponym is unknown, but a commonly suggested etymology includes the elements "lag" (Gaelic: hollow), "breid" (Norse: broad) and "vik" (Norse: bay), implying an original Gaelic form something like "Lag Bhròdhaig" (the hollow of Broadbay). The name may be related to a placename on the east coast of Islay, "Pròaig", again suggested as meaning "broad bay".
The distillery and brand are owned and operated by Beam Suntory, the American subsidiary of Japan's Suntory Holdings.
Ian Hunter was the founder's grandson and played a crucial role as manager of the distillery from 1908 to 1944. He introduced important changes, including the use of American oak barrels to develop the unique Laphroaig taste. Hunter successfully brought Laphroaig to the American market in the 1930s and contributed to the brand's international recognition. After his death in 1954, special whisky bottlings called the "Ian Hunter Story" were released in his honor. His legacy lives on in the tradition and quality of Laphroaig whisky.
About Laphroaig
Another of the Kildalton triumvirate, Laphroaig is a substantial distillery with seven stills and a capacity of over 3m litres per annum (that’s 1m more than Lagavulin and 2m more than Ardbeg).
Unusually for a distillery of this size Laphroaig has retained its own floor maltings which still account for 20% of its requirements. They have been retained specifically because it is believed that the Laphroaig kiln produces a more creosote-like phenolic character than the malt the distillery receives from the Port Ellen maltings. Certainly, a tarry iodine note is one of the signatures of the spirit.
The odd number of stills includes a spirit still which is double the size of its neighbours. As this produces a different character new make it is always blended in with those from the smaller ones.
A very long fore shot run means there are less estery notes in the new make, while a deeper cut means that heavier phenolics are captured compared to Ardbeg and Lagavulin. Its distinct sweet note therefore comes from the preferred cask type used – ex-Bourbon barrels. These, the distillery says, became the norm at Laphroaig post-Prohibition when Ian Hunter began travelling to the US. The effect of this type of oak is showcased in the Quarter Cask release where a vatting of younger Laphroaigs is finished in small casks. Some Sherry casks are in the inventory and are mostly used for longer-term maturation.
43% ABV
70cl
| Specification name | Specification Value |
|---|---|
| Country | Scotland |
| Region | Islay |
| Whiskey style | Single malt |
| Whiskey variety | Scotch |
Laphroaig 1976 Vintage Isla...
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