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A Taste of Islay in London
It’s been an unforgettable week as we welcomed our incredible new Friend of Laphroaig to the fold, legendary actor Willem Dafoe.
The Barley Mow Dafoe
To celebrate our iconic partnership, historic London pub, The Barley Mow, was taken over and renamed ‘The Barley Dafoe’ in honour of the man himself.
The sudden, mysterious transformation in the middle of one of the capital’s most bustling areas was always going to raise a few eyebrows. Londoners were about to be baffled as Willem sipped a glass of our famous single malt, surrounded by friends (and Barley Men, of course).
A Trip to Selfridges
After all that excitement, it was time to take the show to Selfridges, where Willem treated the audience to an exclusive screening of 'The Taste', our short film directed by Tim Pope. The evening was complete with a Q&A with our Senior Whisky Blender, Sarah, at Selfridges’ cinema. As a star of the screen, it was only right that his day rounded off with a trip to the movies.
Suited for the occasion
Our bartenders for the evening rocked a rather special uniform for the occasion, channeling the essence of our distillery warehouse painter, Sammy, and worn by Willem in our short film 'The Taste'.
More than just a rare memento, the Laphroaig boiler suit is pure theatre – and pure Laphroaig.
To honour and celebrate all the fun we’re having with Willem since he became a fully-fledged Friend of Laphroaig, we’re making a highly limited number of these boiler suits available to his fellow Friends of Laphroaig
Interested? We thought you might be. There's no time to lose!
A Cocktail to remember
No memorable event is complete without a signature cocktail, and renowned New York mixologist, Meaghan Dorman, was on hand to deliver and craft Willem Dafoe’s signature Laphroaig cocktail, The Other Island.
This bespoke mix highlighted our 10 Year Old whisky, showcasing its tasting notes and proving its potential as a mixing spirit. The cocktail combined distinctive peat smoke and honeyed barley with a splash of sunny pineapple, embodying the joyful energy of the event. With a nod to Willem’s Italian roots, a touch of amaro and prosecco rounded out the drink, while the name The Other Island captured his sense of home in Scotland and a taste for tropical flavors.
That's a wrap
That’s a wrap, Friends! We brought the spirit of Laphroaig to London – with a little help from the newest addition to the Friends of Laphroaig community, legendary actor Willem Dafoe.
Here’s to Willem, and here’s to our Friends. Most importantly of all, here’s to the unique joy of time spent with friends – whether or not they’re dressed in stacks of barley.
Like all good friendships, this one’s built to last. You can look forward to plenty of unforgettable times ahead, as Willem explores the distinctive world of our whisky.
