Laphroaig Distillery — Attraction in Islay

We recently enjoyed the 'Uisge' tour at Laphroaig Distillery, a bespoke journey designed for enthusiasts who desire a more profound connection with the distillery’s craft. The Gaelic name 'Uisge,' meaning 'water,' reflects the tour's core element: hiking to the water source to enjoy a lovely lunch box and a wee dram (or several…).

After getting a welcome dram at the bar that also provides free coffee and tea for visitors, our tour commenced on the malting floor and continued through to the kiln, where we saw (and smelled) the peat fire that contributes to Laphroaig’s unique flavor profile. Unlike standard tours, the Uisge experience foregoes basic explanations of whisky production, opting instead to highlight intricate details in a casual, conversational manner.

A notable feature of our visit was the 30-minute hike to the distillery’s water source, where we enjoyed lunch beside the water on a wooden table put in place for this special tour. The lunch boxes that we had carried with us in small backpacks contained a hot soup, wraps, cheese, shortbread and fruitcake. Laphroaig-branded aluminum water bottles that we could take home with us had been filled at the distillery - great effort of the team to ditch single use plastic as much as possible.

With the tour limited to eight participants, our group of five enjoyed an intimate setting that culminated in Warehouse No. 1, where we sampled whisky directly from three casks, each displaying unique characteristics. No spoilers, hence we will not disclose the specifics of these exceptional casks, preserving the element of discovery for future visitors. As a parting gift, each of us received a half-sized bottle of single cask whisky from Warehouse 1.

We highly recommend the Uisge tour to those who seek a deeper understanding of peated whiskies through an insightful and relaxed experience. This tour is ideal for those who have done several distillery tours before and wish to bypass the commonplace.

It is recommended to wear hiking shoes. The hike isn’t difficult at all, but you walk on different surfaces that might...

The best whiskey tour ever. Personally, my favorite until a few months ago was Macallan until they increased their prices by 50% and made it extremely difficult for us to visit their distillery. We started off our Scotland trip in Speyside, and the tours were great, but I couldn't help but feel that they were a bit snobbish. When I came to Laphroaig, I was welcomed with a welcome dram, which no one had done. The feel of the distillery and the staff were of that of a family even though the company is owned by a large company, Suntory. Glenfiddich heavily emphasized their family company identity, but we didn't get the warm welcome feel but rather a little more detached and sterile feel. The driver pack was offered to everyone and not just the driver. It really elevated our experience because we aren't heavy drinkers and probably would've felt sick if we had to drink 6-7 drams of whiskey. And the quality of the driver pack was the best out of all the distilleries. We brought our whiskey back to our hotel and enjoyed it together, reliving the wonderful experience. The free goodies like the bag and the glass were so thoughtful. The bottle of whiskey that came with the tour continued the thought and quality. It was a 350 ml bottle. The other tours gave us a 200 ml bottle. The box, pen, and key ring were also so thoughtful. The tasting at the bar was comfortable with the complimentary tea and coffee. The prices were so reasonable as well. The selection at the gift shop was the most diverse in terms of items and price range. We felt so welcome and had an amazing time. We would come back to Scotland and Islay for Laphroaig (which we didn't think we would since the trip was more expensive than we had imagined)!

Kudos to Sorcha, our amazing tour guide, and the gentlemen that welcomed us when we first walked into the shop,...

All staff at the distillery were friendly, welcoming and accommodating. The booking for a 1/2 hour slot in the shop sounds a nuisance and unnecessary this far through covid but I feel it is mis-marketed. What you are actually booking is a space with up to 6 people to browse the shop, try most of their whiskies and be able to speak to staff members and ask them about the whisky. It was a welcome treat today after most distilleries had turned me away and blamed covid for no tours, minimal tastings or not bothered at all. More distilleries should facilitate informal tastings in a bar like environment or outdoor sheltered area and be on hand to answer questions. This sort of experience is easy to run in the current climate and allows people to really feel the distillery experience while tours are not running and are far more likely to go away with a bottle or 2. It was so lovely to be able to try their whiskies on site after making the effort to visit them in their remote location and I am so grateful for their hospitality. I would have been so disappointed in making the trip over to Islay and not being able to experience any of the distilleries. I went away with a bottle of their CS 10 year old as a thank you and something to savour at home. Thank...