Laphroaig Distillery

We did a tasting experience which was good. I feel like our host knew the script and information but I am not sure she was really steeped in scotch as well as others. She was very young, which probably explains that. Still, very friendly and responsive to questions. Laphroaig has some passionate followers so the fact that there are more knowledgeable visitors than hosts doesn't totally surprise me. The visitor's center/gift shop is nice. I wish the tasting room in the back had been larger. There were several bottles I would have tried if I felt invited to stay and try more. The staff there explained anything and let you try what you want but didn't really engage in conversation and offer bottles you didn't already know or ask about. Maybe some people prefer that. I would have preferred recommendations. Beautiful location. Right on a little bay on the east side. A very pleasant e-bike ride from Port Ellen.

Unforgettable Uisage Tour – 10/10! This tour was everything we hoped for and more: phenomenal whiskies, hilarious and fascinating stories, a scenic walk to the Kilbride stream, and a tasty lunch to top it all off. Our guide was an absolute gem—funny, attentive, and totally in sync with the unpredictable Islay weather. The 4½ hours flew by, and every minute was worth it. Whether you're a whisky nerd or just curious, this experience is pure gold. We’ll definitely be back!

Enjoyed its grain to glass experience, a tour that demonstrates how whisky is made and ends with 3 samples direct from barrels. Laphroaig, not only a great producer, but still one who does malting onsite. So get to see and understand the tradition way of turning grain into whisky. Ace our guide is energetic, witty, and friendly, making the tour fun, insightful and memorable. Laphroaig offer driver takeaway bottles, making sure a safe experience for all.

A big fan of Laphroaig, the tour was unique because they really go into the history of the ownership and how it changed hands so many times, that was interesting. They also have a tour you can pair with a 2 mile hike for the more adventurous. The only reason I’m giving this tour 4 stars instead of 5 is they are the only distillery that uses measuring tops and dram clips to make sure you get your three samples and no more. This is simply not in the spirit of Islay, and felt more like I was at a London pub.

We had a flying visit just to see the shop and have a dram. Laphroaig has long been one of our favourites. The bar did not disappoint. Lovely to be greated with a complimentary dram and then have a multitude of further whisky choices of which was an expensive range. We can highly recommend the 10 sherry cask. Lovely stuff.

One of the more famous islay distillerys with a very distinct taste. Their entire collection has a red thread that is very recognizable be that their younger expressed or older. Location is set direct at the shoreline with a nice small Cafe with a good selection of house intern whiskies.

Established in 1815. Laphroaig is the only whisky to carry the Royal Warrant of the Prince of Wales, which was awarded in person during a visit to the distillery in 1994. The 15-year-old is reportedly King Charles' favourite whisky. The tasting was awesome: highly recommend.

Amazing tour with Richard, and such friendly service in the shop with Alice. We've done a few whisky tours before and didn't think we'd learn anything new, but learnt lots! Thanks Richard :)

Nice tasting room. Stopped here before our Ardbeg tasting tour. Complimentary tea and coffee and for the driver a tasting dram to go. Lots of parking.

Laphroaig has been my favorite drink since college and my dream of visiting the distillery in Islay came true a decade later when my wife and I went to Europe on our honeymoon. Our tour guide, Richard, was one of the most knowledgable people on a single subject I'd ever met. He answered an endless stream of questions on the Uisge tour, which included a beautiful hike up the hills alongside sheep, a picnic next to the distillery water source, various tastings throughout (including a warehouse visit to extract your own cask strength whisky to take home), and a chance to stake a flag into your own 1x1 foot plot of land under lifetime lease. Our unique experience even continued into the next day when we stopped for food at the nearby SeaSalt Bistro & Takeaway and none other than Richard greeted us from behind the counter wearing a barista apron. He explained that he was covering for a friend as a favor since everyone helps each other on the small island and informed us that our order was on the house. We want to sing our praises to the entire distillery staff for an amazing experience and give a special shoutout to a special human, Richard, for personifying the community warmth and wit that we felt in Islay!

Wonderful tour! Laphroaig is one of three distilleries on Islay that malt barley on a floor. We were able to go into a chamber where the malted barley is smoked with peat - what a delicious smell!

Everybody come check out how good this tasting is. You get a great tour plus 3 pours for just 18 pounds and I think it's 100% worth it. The distillery exclusive stuff is predictably, the best. Plus, you get to experience the splendor of the distillery! Smell and feel the peat, get blasted by the smoke room, and become enraptured by their great tour guides.

i ve been there over 10 times this time took their most expensive tour, Usaige. I took this tour before and it was very good. It doubled in price and they are very cheap with the drams. Both quality and amount. 150 pounds for the tour. No welcome dram, no drams during the tour. First dram came 2 hours and 50 minutes into the tour. one dram at picnic table that you can walk to yourself. Then we sat at a table for a half hour with no drams and told we couldn't buy one as we were on a tour. Then the warehouse tour you could only sample three eight year old scotches. We then received a bottle that we never tasted. oh also the warehouse was locked so you couldn't go inside. Dont waste your money on their expensive tour, take the standard tour and do the rest yourself you will save about 120 pounds a person.

Ive had the pleasure of visiting twice and both times have been amazing. It's quaint, homey and has a warm, old world welcoming vibe to it that is the perfect pairing for enjoying a dram or two. Super friendly and helpful staff and they have a nice array of whisky and souvenirs perfect for risking overweight suitcases on your return flight (totally worth it). Loved the tour. Its fun, informative, interactive and, of course, whisky-centric. They walk you through the entire whisky making process from end to end and even let you taste malt right off the malting room floor, sample freshly made wash (around 8% ABV) and even toss some peat into the furnace, which will eventually be part of a future bottle years down the road. I can also recommend the VIP tasting, which gets you a private, seated experience, with a whisky expert who talks you through 3 special edition drams, each paired with a small bite. It lasts about 30- 40 minutes and they can handle groups of about 20 at max but when I went it was me, my better half and one other couple. They answer any and all questions and are super nice. Lastly, be sure to sign up for the Friends of Laphroaig program when you visit. You get to rock some sweet green wellies, trudge out to a peat field and place your country's flag in the ground. Sure it kitsch and touristy but its fun and a good photo op. The big pay off, though, id that hen youre done marking your territory, they give you a free mini bottle of 10 year to take home. Not too shabby.

My favorite whisky distillery tour on Islay, Laphroaig knows what to showcase for tours. They are one of the few places that still maintains an in-house malting site. Not only do you get to see the malting floors you get to crawl inside the pest blown chambers where peat smoke is blowed into the barley. You can even sample some of the barley and taste for yourself. Afterwards you can see the peat itself. There was even a tasting of the liquid im during the fermentation process. Finally after the tour portion concluded we were take to their famous warehouse for three exclusive tastings. Meaning if you aren't on that tour then you don't get to try them. Furthermore, I was allowed to take a 250ml bottle home with me.

Laphroig have the most fun marketing campaign that really gives you a sense of the brand humour. The campaign is Opinions Welcome and they stand by that, permanently tiling some hilarious comments on the wall as you walk into the distillery. See some of the pics I posted for a laugh. Inside they are super friendly with a large visitors centre to explore and learn about the history of the malt (and the Lords of the Isles.). You can join friends of Laphroig, claim a plot of land and chill in the tasting room with a few drams. The tasting room is more like a lounge, with cosy sofas, tartan pillows and a Laphroig bar. This was the first distillery we visited that morning and if you've ever tried Quarter Cask... would you have it at 11am? It was wild, we loved it.

What an amazing distillery! If it weren't for my husband being such a huge scotch fan, I would have never known about this amazing whisky. Islay is the last leg of our honeymoon and I can't say I'd do it any other way. This is our 2nd trip to the island and 2nd to Laphroaig and the cocktails are a nice addition to the bar. Please give the Penicillin cocktail a try, it will not disappoint.

Really friendly and welcoming place. Situated right on the shore, with seating outside so you can enjoyed the view. There is a comfortable cafe area serving complimentary tea and coffee which you can also take outside. The shop has a good selection of gifts inclusing scarfs, hats and cheese too. The tour we had was really fun and informative, but there is also a lot of written information about the history of the site if you are interested. The distillery is close to a number of others and is a pleasant walk from Port Ellen. We went twice!

The trip of a lifetime. I must come back again! The water to whiskey tour was worth every penny and then some. If you are a serious fan of Islay scotch then you must come and visit Laphroaig. They have a place in my heart since this was the first scotch that I had when I was in college and I also think they make some of the best scotch. Of course their stuff is an acquired taste, but try something else than their 10 year because it gets way smoother. Ok the 10 year is liking chewing on a piece of peat, but the 10 year cask strength or the 18 year is a little slice of heaven. First if you are planning on visiting the island then book everything way ahead (3-6 months) because everything fills up quickly. I am talking about hotels, the ferry and tours. The distillery visits I thought would be like wine tastings just show up and grab a dram, but no. You usually have to make a tour which lasts from 1 hour to many; the Water To Whiskey was close to 6 hours. But the tours are fairly cheap and plan on someone else driving because you definitely get our monies worth. They also don't take light to drunk driving so be cautious and plan ahead. With regards to Laphroaig book the Water To Whiskey Tour. It is an all day tour from inside the distillery, to the peat bogs, to the water source and a stop for lunch, Then back to the distillery for a barrel tasting and you get to take some home too; all the while you are sipping a plethora of different scotches. The staff was amazing and very knowledgeable. This is a trip that I will not ever forget and one that I must make again.

They are doing quite a bit to make your visit to Laphroaig a memorable experience...above and beyond the peaty whiskey. My husband signed up for a tasting, but when the large party that held the rest of the reservation cancelled at the last minute....they went ahead and gave him a private tasting so that he didn't have to wait around for another time slot. They have a nice, private back room where they conducted the tasting and you can decorate your own whiskey bung to either take with you....or place in their wall for display until it is used in one of their actual casks. The young woman conducting the tasting was super friendly and informative. Additionally, Laphroaig has a little museum setup and you can sign up to get your own tiny plot of "peat" and more importantly, a free sample. They have an area setup for you to take off your shoes, put on a pair of wellies and muck out into the bog to plant the flag of your country in the field across the street from the distillery. It's good fun and a nice photo opp. Of the distilleries we visited, Laphroaig was the only one offering samples in a takeaway mini bottle...because who thinks it would be a good idea to taste whiskey....and then drive? If you've made it to the idyllic island of Islay, you'll most definitely want to stop at Laphroaig and we highly recommend the walking path out from Port Ellen.

can't beat this area. Wonderful distillery. Easy to get to. Great tastings and merchandise. We can't wait to get back to this area.

I love Laphroaig whisky. The 10 year is my go-to scotch, but I really enjoyed the Triple Wood and Lore flavors. Don't take my word for it, though-- my wife generally does not like their whisky, but thoroughly enjoyed the tastings and even now has admitted that her visit here changed her mind on the 10-year. Also the tour is great!

Two of my best friends and I participated in the Water to Whisky Experience on July 30 with Sherylyn. We all had a great time, and learned a lot about the whole process of creating Laphroaig. We got to cut peat, we had lunch by the water source, we toured the facility, and we got to try several fantastic Laphroaig malts. At the end of the tour, we were able to sample whisky directly from three different casks in one of the cask storage buildings. We chose our favorite from the three casks and filled our own 250mL bottle to take home. The whole 4.5 hour experience was amazing, and we are so glad we did it.

Ahhh, Laphroaig, the marmite of whisky. If you have even the most fleeting of interests in whisky then you will have heard of this one. Usually someone asking, "Laphroaig? is that the peaty one?". Yes. Yes it is. If you enjoy the smell of your clothing after sitting close to a campfire all night downwind, then you'll like this. Regardless, if you want to learn about the history of Islay whisky and production, and are interested in how different the different expressions can taste then don't delay, go to Laphroaig! I was given the tour by James(on my own as my group had fragmented to visit different objectives in the shape of Ardbeg!) and was met by a very approachable and informative guide. The basic tour(there are longer and more expensive options) didn't seem to be lacking anything as far as i could see, no room seemed to be out of limits and there was no rushing through skipping time for questions, culminating in the gift shop ending. Now as the gift shop also allowed a diverse tasting, I didn't grudge it one bit!! Not just whisky on sale either, lots of touristy items from Laphroaig cheese to mugs!

Laphroaig a number of years ago was highly prized and amongst one of the most expensive Scotch distillers. As we all know, taste is subjective and I feel that there are superior Islay scotch to be had for less. However if you lean towards the peaty Islay flavors, I'd land this in the middle of the road there.

I had the extreme pleasure of visiting Islay last month and this distillery tour was one of the highlights. Now admittedly, I'm a fan of Laphroaig whisky already but I was of course excited to be able to see the distillery in person. I had of course already signed up online as a Friend of Laphroaig in the hopes of one day traveling there. This paid off with a tour of the facility. The people there could not have been nicer. Despite their being busy with redoing the Visitor Centre they made us feel welcome. This is the only distillery that is open to the public on Sunday during the winter season. This allowed us to enjoy their first tour of the day on Sunday morning. The tour included the key parts of the distillery such as the malting floor, kiln, mash tuns and stills. We were also able to see some of their warehouse. Our guide, Vicky, was great and very informative. We were invited to try our hands at turning over the malt on the malt floor and plugging up a cask. Little things like being able to taste the Laphroaig beer were also very cool. After the tour we were given a taste of their delicious product and of course you have the option to purchase different Laphroaig items. They have a lot of different things for you to buy and take home, budget and space permitting. As Friends of Laphroaig we were given the option of donning wellies they provided and heading out in search of our 1 square plot of Islay. You know I did that! I'll not say much on this point except they do provide you with flags for most countries should you wish to mark your spot for posterity and country. Heading out on this trek will be a challenge but they do provide you with instructions on how to find your plot. Afterwards, we went back to the Visitor Centre to walk through their museum and say our farewells. They invited us back for another taste while staying on the island. And you know, we did just that! This was a great start to our distillery tours and the people could not have made the visit any better. Five stars for making my visit so enjoyable and meeting every one of my expectations. Cheers guys! Keep up the great work!

If you can drink a single malt and have never tried this, dear gob are ya missing out. Don't get the stronger kind (cask strength). Go for the 10 year at sixty bucks a pop unless you really want to splurge. The 10 yr is a phenom: smoky and complex. I detected notes of peat, sweaty horse leather, raisin, coal smoke, seaweed and more. It is sixty plus bucks for a fifth. Haven't splurged on the 15 year, but if there are any generous benefactors out there who want to lift a glass with me... Plus! With every bottle you get a code to register online; you then own a tiny square of the Isle of Islay. If you ever make it there, a free wee dram or three gets thrown your way. And you can tour the Isle with a guide from the distillery. Well worth it for the indulgent wonderful-ness that is this Scotch. Best I've ever had.

Laphroaig may be "the Marmite of whiskys" (thanks G.B.) in that you either love it or hate it, but most of those who arrive at the distillery found their way over many years, via gentler malts or milder blends. This adds to the near-religious fervor of those who make the pilgrimage -- it's not just an acquired taste, but the realization of a promise after a long and circuitous journey. The distillery does not disappoint, leading its pilgrims on a tour that highlights the idealistic vision of the brand. Most distilleries (such as Jura) abandoned a complex peaty taste in response to changing consumer preferences. Others (like Bruchladdich) are racing their way back. Laphroaig stood firm through the decades, with a traditional and uncompromising approach that demands your admiration. Yes, I am a fan, and I loved this tour. So why four stars? Of the three distilleries I mentioned, Laphroaig was the most "salesy", with a narrative that was too boastful and at times overly defensive. Someone had to ask before we learned that the distillery only produces one-quarter of the brands output, for example. The other distilleries (Jura and Bruchladdich) had less interesting operations but were far more candid about their history and the industry as a whole. I'd say, start with Laphroaig but follow up with another perspective.

Laphroaig is the real deal. This place distills and ages some of the best and most unique whiskys in Scotland (and the world). If you're able to visit the distillery, you'll understand exactly where the different notes in their whiskys originate. When you taste their whisky, you can almost smell the marine winds (which are pretty incessant there), and peat from the distillery grounds in each bottle. My personal favorite is the Quarter Cask whisky which is aged in smaller oak casks imparting a much more intense oak flavor, but still manages to retain the signature peatiness. If you are deciding which distilleries to visit, do not miss this one! The entire distillery feels like they're family and they extend that hospitality to their visitors. They even have a "Friends of Laphroaig" membership which allows you to register a plot of land on the grounds. Any time you return to visit, they'll provide you a dram as rent on your plot!

Didn't do the tour...but we did the tasting by far one of the most generous FREE tastings of all the south Islay distilleries I've been to!

The Water to Whisky tour was absolutely wonderful!!! Our host, Gail, was superb. Friendly, knowledgeable and patient. Can't recommend highly enough.

What a wonderful tour! Laphroaig has been a favorite whisky in my home for years. Imagine the pleasure of being shown the entire operation from water all the way to whisky. We were on a four and a half hour trip which began with history, moved to a gentle hike to picnic by the source of the water then personally cutting peat (easier than it sounds)and so on following the entire process through to casks. We finished with cask tasting and filling custom cask samples to take home in gift boxes. I believe the only thing we did not see there was coopering which is done elsewhere. What a delight it all was and Susan made us feel like old friends of the family. This tour is highly recommended. Book early! Places on this intimate tour are limited. Be sure to register as a Friend of Laphroaig whether before or during your trip. You get a tiny plot of their marsh (peat bog) and can plant your flag and best of all they will pay you "rent" in the form of a very nice miniature of 10 year malt! Slàinte!

On my recent visit to Scotland I knew I had to visit my favorite distillery. We made reservations for the water to whiskey tour. It cost £100, but let me tell you it was worth the money. Its about a 4-5 hour guided tour. The groups are not larger than 7 people so you can ask plenty of questions and the tour guide is very personal with you. Our tour guide was James. He was a great guy that knew the product. Throughout the tour you get to see the whole process on how Laphroaig makes their whiskey. Literally you see the water source all the way to the casks they are being aged in. With Islay scotches they tend to be peaty. On this tour you get the oportunity to dig up peat and see their land where they get their peat from. This was truly exciting for me. In the middle of the tour we took a little hike to the water source of Laphoaig and had lunch (provided with this tour). Towards the end of the tour we had the oportunity to try out 3 different scotches from 3 different casks. We then got to pick one out to bottle ourselves and take home. 250ml bottle. If you happen to visit Join Friends of Laphoaig and you get a free 10ml dram I believe. Such a cool spot with awesome people working there. If I ever go back to Scotland I will definitely do the tour again. I don't think I can get tired of seeing this whole process. And side note about the tour, you're drinking Laphroaig the whole time!

As a friend of laphroaig we decided to go visit the distillery. The shop area is lovely and spacious with seating so you have somewhere to wait until the next tour. They have a lovely lounge area for fol memebers that has nice views and comfortable chairs. The tour itself was good, the tour guide lovely and very friendly. Unlike other distilleries it still malts it's own barley so it's nice to see the malting floor. After the tour everyone gets a small dram as well as a second if you are a member. The difference between this and others is drivers get to take a minature away with them! Great day out for whisky lovers

This was the first distillery we toured on Islay, we did all nine, and it was a great way to start our Islay visit. To begin we entered the lovely waiting area where you could see the history of the distillery. If you were already a Friend of Laphroaig you could go to the computer and print off your certificate and land plot location. If you weren't already a Friend you could sign up and get your own sq ft of Islay property. They also had country flags if you wanted to go plant your flag on your plot. I brought a Texas flag with me but the field was too muddy that day to plant it on my actual sq foot so I left in at the entrance to the field. Tom our tour guide was outstanding. As I mentioned this was a great distillery to start with as the still do almost the entire process from malting the barley to peat smoking it to milling, fermenting, distilling, and aging, bottling is the only thing they don't do on Islay. After the tour we had the distinct pleasure of sitting in the cask room and sampling three different and unique single cask whiskys. After determining our favorite we each got to hand bottle our own 250 ml bottle which we then kept with the glencairn glass in a lovely gift box. A great start to our Islay visit.