Laphroaig Oak Select Single Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 40%

High up in the Laphroaig warehouses, summer air gets warm and heavy under the roof. That's where Select spends its final months, in brand new oak, while the Atlantic knocks against the wall below. The smoke hasn't gone anywhere. It's just learned to speak a little softer.

Expert's Description

Laphroaig Select is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oloroso sherry casks, PX sherry casks and 1st fill bourbon quarter casks, finished in virgin American oak and bottled at 40%.

It arrived in May 2014 as a permanent part of the Laphroaig range. There's no age statement, and that was never the point. The distillery calls it their most approachable whisky, built for people who want to get into Laphroaig without being knocked flat by the first sip. In some markets it's sold as Laphroaig Oak Select.

The spirit is the same one that runs through the rest of the family. Peated malt, part of it still turned by hand on the distillery's own malting floors and dried over Islay peat, then double distilled. After that, the cask work starts. Spirit from oloroso sherry casks brings dried fruit and nuttiness. The PX sherry casks add a darker, stickier sweetness. Small quarter casks that once held bourbon give a lot of wood in a short time and pull out vanilla and coconut.

Finally everything is married together and rests for around six months in brand new American oak. You don't see virgin wood very often in Scotch whisky. It adds spice and a broad vanilla sweetness, and it rounds off the medicinal edge. The whisky has no added colour and took gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in both 2020 and 2022.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Peat smoke is right there at the door. Close behind come ripe red berries, a bit of chocolate milk and a sharp lemon note, a lot like sherbet lemons from the sweet shop.

Palate

Sweet to begin with, almost soft. Vanilla, ginger and tart green apple, then the smoke moves in with ash and seaweed. Nutmeg and cinnamon smoulder underneath.

Finish

Long and surprisingly floral. Marzipan and lime linger, and right at the end the medicinal note comes back with a touch of damp oak.

Specifications

Name: Laphroaig Select
Distillery: Laphroaig
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry casks, PX sherry casks, 1st fill bourbon quarter casks, finished in virgin American oak
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry sweetness · Red fruit · Vanilla · Maritime

Did You Know?

Laphroaig has held a Royal Warrant since 1994, when the then Prince of Wales visited the distillery. In May 2024, now as King Charles III, he granted it a new one. It was part of his very first batch of warrants, and this time the distillery was judged on sustainability as well as the whisky.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Laphroaig Select

What's the difference between Laphroaig Select and Laphroaig 10 Year Old?

Select is softer and sweeter. Laphroaig 10 Year Old is matured in bourbon casks only and goes full volume on iodine and seaweed, while Select has spent time in sherry casks and virgin American oak. That brings red fruit and vanilla, so the smoke takes up less room.

Is Laphroaig Select a good first peated whisky?

Yes, it's probably the easiest way into Laphroaig. The smoke is clear, but the sherry sweetness takes the sharpest edges off. If you like Select, Laphroaig 10 Year Old is the natural next step.

How should you drink Laphroaig Select?

Neat, ideally from a tulip-shaped glass, so the red fruit doesn't drown in smoke. At 40% it doesn't need water, but a single drop can open up the marzipan on the finish. See our range of whisky glasses.

Can you use Laphroaig Select in cocktails?

Yes, it works well as the smoky element in a drink. Try it in a Penicillin with ginger, honey and lemon, where the smoke sits on top. Our Penicillin cocktail recipe shows you how.

What food goes with Laphroaig Select?

Smoked fish and dark chocolate are two safe bets. The smoke meets the smoke in the fish, and the sherry sweetness finds its match in the cocoa. A strong blue cheese works too.

What is Laphroaig distillery known for?

Laphroaig was founded in 1815 by the Johnston brothers on the south coast of Islay, close to Port Ellen. It's known for its heavy, medicinal smoke and is one of the few distilleries still floor-malting part of its own barley. If you want to compare it with the neighbours, we carry a wide range of Islay Whisky.