Rum

Laphroaig 10 Year

The Laphroaig distillery was founded in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston and has a richly storied history on Islay. Though the distillery has changed ownership after passing out of the Johnston family’s hands in the mid-1950s, production has continued unabated. The current portfolio is large and made up of several age-statement offerings, some cycling in and out of availability, along with a few non-age statement whiskies. Few scotches are more common in liquor stores, restaurants and bars (and home bars), even those not specializing in whiskies, than the Laphroaig 10 Year. Because of its wide availability, it is often the first Islay or first scotch in general that some people experience. Another iconic feature of the brand is the Friends of Laphroaig, a brand loyalty program established in 1994 that purports to give the purchaser of every bottle of the brand a lifetime lease of a square foot of Islay, though the program was revamped in 2020. A popular feature of visiting the distillery is being shown one’s personal square foot while enjoying a dram.

By Adam | April 20, 2021 | Islay | No Comments |

Pike Creek is a relatively newer Canadian spirit that first saw light of day several years ago when the spirit was finished in Port casks and released by Corby Distillers along with Lot 40. After a couple of years, reportedly due to sourcing issues, the Port casks were replaced with rum barrels. This attention to finishing is in part due to their master blender, Dr. Don Livermore, whose PhD is appropriately enough in wood science. This focus on the wood gives the distillery another element to make their whisky stand out. Pike Creek has been labeled by some reviewers as a “high-end” whisky, and maybe that is true when compared to regular Canadian blends, but we sure hope this attention to details becomes the new normal.

By Adam | October 12, 2017 | Foreign | No Comments |

The Teeling name has a long history in the world of Irish whiskey, beginning in 1782 on Marrowbone Lane in Dublin. Teeling has been part of the Irish whiskey resurgence, as they opened a distillery in 2015 in Dublin, the first seen in that city since 1976. While their whiskey is currently sourced from the Cooley distillery, the plan is to use their own stock once it is ready. The Teeling Small Batch bottling is their flagship expression and was finished in ex-rum barrels, something not often seen in Irish whiskies. They also have a single grain and several single malt offerings.

By Adam | July 22, 2016 | Foreign | No Comments |