Laphroaig | Scottish Parliament | Archibald Campbell | Johnstones
For Peat’s Sake
by
Anthony Dias Blue
Bowmore makes a full range of single malts, from a fresh-styled
Legend to the deep, chocolatey Darkest. One of my favorites is the
Bowmore 21-Year-Old, a suave spirit with only a hint of the
island's famous peat reek. This is a good place to start your
appreciation of Islay whiskies. As with other scotches, you should
add a few splashes of tap water to it to release the flavors in the
glass. After a dram of this one you'll be warmer and fuzzier than a
tam-o'-shanter.
LAGAVULIN 16-YEAR-OLD ($60)
The history of scotch is full of tales of daredevil whisky
smugglers who defied the government "gaugers" and their loathed
excise duty, a tax first imposed by the Scottish Parliament in
January 1644. By 1742, the year Lagavulin is first mentioned in
records, the Johnstone family was adept at running illegal whisky
to the mainland from their coastal Islay refuge. A second operation
run by Archibald Campbell merged with the Johnstones' in the
mid-19th century. The distillery was completely rebuilt in
1962.
The taxman can rest easy now: Lagavulin is a fully licensed
operation, owned (like many other scotch distilleries) by a
multinational corporation. Along with its neighbor Laphroaig, it is
considered one of the most Islay-like of Islays. The 16-Year-Old
Lagavulin is a classic, full of smoky peat and briny notes that are
balanced by the fine, round sherry finish.
LAPHROAIG 15-YEAR-OLD ($60)
I saved this one for last, because Laphroaig is the most
notoriously peaty of all the Islay single malts. This is not a
scotch for beginners. In fact, the uninitiated might at first
confuse its medicinal overtones with Caledonian sheep dip (the
sheep should be so lucky!). The bold taste of Laphroaig will never
be confused with this week's trendy spirit, but it can grow into a
lifelong passion, especially if you've been working your way toward
Islay by way of an assiduous sampling of other single malts.
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