{"product_id":"laphroaig-39-year-old-the-wall-collection-by-laura-carlin-limited-edition-islay-single-malt-scotch-whisky-2025-70cl","title":"Laphroaig 39 Year Old The Wall Collection 'Rope' by Laura Carlin Limited Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2025) 70cl","description":"\u003ch2\u003eLaphroaig 39 Year Old The Wall Collection 'Rope' by Laura Carlin Limited Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2025) 70cl\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1 of 200 bottles finished in Oloroso \u0026amp; PX.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne of the oldest Laphroaig`s ever released - limited to just 200 bottles worldwide. Aged in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry seasoned European oak casks, it boasts a rich tawny hue that hints at the depth within. The nose is complex and layered: waves of polished leather, spiced toffee, cranberry, and dark red cherry unfold alongside sweet molasses and bright mandarin orange, creating a warm, festive richness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the palate, a gentle smokiness weaves through notes of treacle toffee, candied orange peel and toasted hazelnut, adding structure and depth. The long, graceful finish reveals smoked orange toffee, oaky warmth, and a lingering medley of mixed spice. This bottling is a masterful balance of Laphroaig’s iconic peat character and the sumptuous influence of long-term sherry cask maturation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTASTING NOTES\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"border-t border-gray-300 pb-2 pt-2 last-of-type:pb-0\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-semibold\"\u003eNose: Layered waves of polished leather, spiced toffee, molasses and cranberry meet the brightness of mandarin peel and dark cherry. Hints of sandalwood and antique bookshops give it a contemplative, elegant edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-semibold\"\u003ePalate: A gentle smokiness runs beneath treacle toffee, toasted hazelnuts and candied orange peel. Each sip reveals more complexity: dried fruits, cinnamon sticks, and a trace of clove oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-semibold\"\u003eFinish: Smoked orange toffee melts into oaky warmth and a refined medley of festive spice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"border-t border-gray-300 pb-2 pt-2 last-of-type:pb-0\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Laphroaig\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother 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).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnusually 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reason so many existing Islay distilleries came into being before the ‘official’ 1824 start date is down to the influence of Islay’s laird, Walker Frederick Campbell. Islay was less brutally cleared than other islands and as an ‘improving’ landlord Campbell was keen to start new businesses on the island. Islay already had a reputation for moonshine, so legal distilling made sense. The fact that Campbell was also actively involved meant that it was harder to continue with illicit activities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, in 1815, brothers Alexander and Donald Johnston built a distillery at Laphroaig. Donald, who ran the distillery, tragically died in 1847 after falling into a vat of boiling pot ale. Laphroaig however remained in the control of D. Johnston \u0026amp; Co. until the 1960s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts rise to fame began at the start of the 20th century with the arrival of Donald's great-grandson, Ian Hunter. It was he who, in 1908, changed agent from Peter Mackie and prompted the building of Malt Mill. By the 1920s Laphroaig was being sold as a single malt and in 1924, the number of stills were increased to four. On his death in 1954 he left the distillery to his secretary Bessie Williamson who had been the de-facto manager during his extensive international sales trips.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican distiller, Schenley, bought into the distillery in the 1960s, buying it outright in 1967. By the time Bessie retired in 1972, the number of stills had been increased to seven. A period of passing through various hands and amalgamations ended when Jim Beam purchased it from Allied Distillers in 2005. In the intervening period Prince Charles had awarded his favourite single malt his own Royal Warrant. In the same year, 1994, the Friends of Laphroaig was launched, the first of the modern ‘member’s associations’ phenomenon – there are currently 638,000 members. In a creative piece of marketing – initiated by legendary manager Iain Henderson – Friends were given a square foot of Islay which they leased back to the distillery in exchange for a year’s ‘rent’ of a miniature of Laphroaig which could only be claimed by visiting the distillery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeam’s takeover by Suntory in 2014 has resulted in the Japanese-American giant now owning two of Islay’s eight distilleries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e42.4% ABV\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e70cl\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Laphroaig","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52886714614098,"sku":"LAP39WALL","price":4599.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1052\/9737\/9666\/files\/Laphroaig39YearOldTheWallCollectionbyLauraCarlinLimitedEditionIslaySingleMaltScotchWhisky_2025_70cl.jpg?v=1772904310","url":"https:\/\/whiskysituation.co.uk\/products\/laphroaig-39-year-old-the-wall-collection-by-laura-carlin-limited-edition-islay-single-malt-scotch-whisky-2025-70cl","provider":"Whisky Situation","version":"1.0","type":"link"}