The Archive Collection: 36 Year Old is a nod to the "skilled hands" that have nurtured this spirit through more than three decades of maturation; subsequent releases will follow later in 2024
Islay-based distillery Laphroaig has introduced two 36-Year-Old single malt whiskies into select travel retail stores. The Archive Collection and The Wall Collection will make their travel retail debut in January 2024.
According to the company, The Archive Collection celebrates the distillery's whisky makers and the inherent boldness of spirit that drives them. The first expression in the series, The Archive Collection: 36 Year Old, nods to the "skilled hands" that have nurtured this spirit through more than three decades of maturation. Subsequent releases will follow in 2024.
Carrying the same peat, smoke and salt that is unmistakably Laphroaig, this single malt reveals a surprising fruitiness in the glass, featuring tropical notes underpinned by dark toffee and vanilla. It has been matured in American ex-bourbon casks before finishing in a second-fill Oloroso sherry hogshead to add layer upon layer of flavor depth before being bottled at cask strength of 40.2% ABV.
Laphroaig Distillery Manager Barry MacAffer says, “The Archive Collection is the pinnacle of our range, showcasing the passion and craftsmanship in every bottle we produce. This exceptional spirit balances the depth of character for which we’re famous, alongside the kind of unique flavors that can only be found in the rarest of Laphroaig whiskies.”
The Archive Collection: 36 Year Old is limited to 400 bottles globally, 19 of which have been earmarked for the travel retail channel. They will be available in London Heathrow T3 and T5 with Avolta; at Dubai International Airport with Gulf Beverages/Dubai Duty Free; and in Frankfurt Airport T1 and T2 in partnership with Gebr Heinemann.
The first whisky of The Wall Collection to be unveiled is the Peat Edition, a highly limited 36-Year-Old expression presented in a hand-painted bottle by illustrator Laura Carlin
The Wall Collection is a new series of whiskies that explores the distinctive characteristic of Laphroaig. The first to be unveiled is Peat Edition, a highly limited 36-Year-Old expression presented in a hand-painted bottle by illustrator Laura Carlin. More expressions will be launched in due course.
The second whisky, The Wall Collection explores the role of cask finishing on Laphroaig’s flavorful spirit, "allowing new stories to be told through older whiskies that are some of the most scarce and sought-after releases from the distillery in decades."
The Wall Collection: Peat Edition is a 36-Year-Old single malt that celebrates Laphroaig’smost defining trait. Peat plays a crucial role in crafting Laphroaig’s depth of character and richness of flavor through the careful, exacting smoking techniques used in the malting process. With this release, a cask that previously held younger, heavily-peated Laphroaig has been used to re-intensify the signature smokiness of the spirit.
To capture the iconography of peat, illustrator Laura Carlin has hand-painted each of the 200 bottles available using the same paint that adorns the walls of Laphroaig’s Warehouse No.1, which is home to the iconic black lettering that has overlooked the bay for 30 years. Taking the emblematic peat bricks as inspiration, Carlin has created a visual interpretation of peat in this whisky through hand painting, resulting in one of the most striking bottles of whisky available in the world.
Laphroaig Distillery Manager Barry MacAffer says, “The Wall Collection is hugely exciting for us as it celebrates two of the most enduring and iconic elements of our whisky and our distillery, the peat we use to imbue our barley with its distinctive deep, smoky flavor, and the striking white walls of our distillery.”
He adds, “The whisky itself is every bit as special as the bottle. Matured in ex-bourbon casks, this spirit has been finished in a heavily peated cask so we’ve been able to re-intensify the smokiness that usually takes a back seat in older whisky. This extraordinary bottle is unlike anything else we’ve released before.”
Artist and illustrator Laura Carlin said, “I loved immersing myself in Islay life and Laphroaig distillery’s place amongst the scenery and the community. The slow, humble and evocative method in which the Peat Edition was made was a huge inspiration for creating the bottles.”
In global travel retail, 10 bottles of The Wall Collection: Peat Edition will be available at Frankfurt Airport T1 and T2 with Gebr Heinemann; at Dubai International Airport with Gulf Beverages/Dubai Duty Free, and at London Heathrow T3 and T5 in partnership with Avolta.
Beam Suntory Brand Marketing Director Global Travel Retail Manuel Gonzalez comments,“These highly limited aged whiskies from Laphroaig are really special releases, and I’m delighted that we are able to make a small selection available to our traveling consumers. I thank our longstanding retail partners for their ongoing support.
"Each of these single malts showcases the impact of longer maturation, while telling two unique stories that began in the same time and place, but finish in completely different ways. Their character and contrast is a testament to the breadth of flavor achieved in aged Laphroaig, and creates a striking and refined tasting experience.”
