Islay · 10 Year Old · 40%
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Some whiskies whisper. Laphroaig 10 Year Old speaks up. From the first sniff you get thick peat smoke, seaweed and sea salt, followed by a surprising sweetness and a long, warming finish that stays with you. It’s one of the most famous peated whiskies in the world, and for many people it’s the bottle that defines what Islay whisky tastes like.
Love it or not, nobody forgets their first glass of Laphroaig. If you enjoy big, smoky flavours, this is a true classic to keep on your shelf.
Laphroaig is one of the few distilleries in Scotland that still malts some of its own barley the traditional way. The barley is spread on malting floors facing the sea, then dried over fires of Islay peat. The distillery cold-smokes the grain in its kiln, a slow method that drives a deep, intense smoke into the malt. That is where Laphroaig’s famous peaty, medicinal character begins.
Every drop of the 10 Year Old spends a decade in American oak barrels that once held bourbon. The charred oak adds vanilla and sweetness, and softens the edges of the smoke. Laphroaig’s then owner, Ian Hunter, pioneered this approach after a trip to America.
The distillery sits right on the shoreline of Islay’s south coast near Port Ellen, and its water comes from the Kilbride Dam. Salt spray, seaweed and Atlantic weather are all part of the landscape, and you can taste that coastal character in the glass.
Sparkling gold with tawny, auburn tones.
Huge peat smoke and seaweed, with a medicinal edge and a hint of sweetness underneath.
Surprisingly sweet at first, then strong medicinal peat, savoury sea salt and layers of smoke, with soft vanilla and a touch of fruit.
Long, lingering and distinctive, with a sweet, smoky seaweed glow that lasts well after the sip.
Fans often describe it as tasting like a beach bonfire. If you enjoy smoked foods, bold flavours or iodine-rich coastal air, this is a whisky made for you.
Pour a measure into a nosing glass and take your time. Neat is the best way to experience the full depth of peat and sweetness.
A little water opens up the peat and reveals softer, sweeter notes underneath the smoke. It’s a great way to explore the whisky if the first sip feels intense.
One large ice cube cools the smoke and gives a smoother, more relaxed drink, ideal for a summer evening.
A small amount of Laphroaig adds a smoky twist to an Old Fashioned or a Penicillin, and it even works in a grapefruit-based highball.
Try it with oysters, smoked salmon, grilled meats, blue cheese or dark chocolate. Strong flavours stand up beautifully to Laphroaig’s smoke.
Laphroaig (say it “la-FROYG”) is usually translated as “the beautiful hollow by the broad bay”. The distillery was founded in 1815 by brothers Donald and Alexander Johnston on Islay’s south coast, and it has been making whisky there for more than 200 years.
During American Prohibition, alcohol could still be sold legally for medical use. Laphroaig’s owner Ian Hunter reportedly persuaded US officials that its strong iodine-like flavour showed medicinal value, so Laphroaig continued to be sold in the US while most spirits were banned.
In the 1930s, a young Glasgow University graduate called Bessie Williamson took a short summer job at Laphroaig and never left. She went on to manage the distillery, and when Ian Hunter died in 1954 he left Laphroaig to her. She became one of the very few women to own and run a Scotch whisky distillery in the 20th century, and she helped build Laphroaig’s following in America.
In 1994, during a visit to the distillery, the then Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) awarded Laphroaig his Royal Warrant, making it the only single malt Scotch whisky to receive one from him. The same year, the Friends of Laphroaig club was launched, famously giving members a lifetime lease on a square foot of Islay land.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2022 and Gold at the same competition in 2020.
If you like Laphroaig 10’s peat smoke, these Islay single malts are also peated:
Want to read more? Explore another peated Islay malt in our Ardbeg Vintage Y2K guide, see our 10 best single malt Scotch whiskies to buy in 2026, or browse every Islay single malt in our shop.
Say it “la-FROYG”, with the stress on the second part.
Its heavily peated malt, dried over Islay peat fires, gives strong smoky, iodine-like and seaweed flavours that many people describe as medicinal.
It is very bold. If you’re new to peated whisky, you might start with a gentler Islay malt like Bowmore 12, then try Laphroaig once you know you enjoy smoke.
American oak ex-bourbon barrels, for 10 years.
Both are peated Islay single malts. Laphroaig 10 is much smokier and more medicinal, while Bowmore 12 is softer and fruitier, with sherry-cask sweetness.
In 1994, the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, visited the distillery and awarded it his Royal Warrant.
Laphroaig is owned by Suntory Global Spirits, the same group that owns Bowmore.
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