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Islay Ember
A Whisky Born From Friendship
Our thriving Friends of Laphroaig community is unlike any other. It’s a fellowship of whisky lovers and kindred spirits from every corner of the world, all bonded by a shared affection for our distillery, our island, and the singular character of the whisky we create here. A community like this is rarer than the rarest single cask – and we never take it for granted. Every cask we fill, every dram we pour, feels richer knowing it’s shared with Friends like you.
Last year, we decided to bring this community together in a new way — not just to celebrate Laphroaig, but to help shape it. By visiting the exclusive Friends of Laphroaig homepage – Friends were invited to answer a simple question:
Would you be interested in a single cask release created exclusively for Friends of Laphroaig?
Amontillado Sherry Cask
You might say that was a rhetorical question. Of course, you were interested. After all, an exclusive single cask release is by definition one of a kind — a whisky that can never be repeated, even if we wanted to. Each cask tells its own story, and once it’s bottled, that story is complete. For anyone who knows their hogshead from their ex-bourbon barrel, the prospect of helping shape such a release is irresistible.
But that was only the beginning. Once we’d gathered your enthusiastic “yes,” we followed up with another question — the most important one of all: If we were to make this single cask happen, what kind of finish would you most like to see?
This is where things got truly exciting. Thousands of responses poured in, and among them, one choice stood out above the rest. It was wise, inspired, and, if we’re honest, perfectly in tune with the Laphroaig spirit: Amontillado sherry cask.
That decision set our course. It challenged our distillers to craft something extraordinary — a whisky that honoured the tastes of our community and celebrated their intuition. And they rose to the occasion magnificently. After a decade of quiet maturation in that single Amontillado cask, something remarkable had taken shape: rich, nutty sweetness intertwined with the signature coastal smoke of Islay.
Islay Ember
Of course, every great whisky deserves a name worthy of its character. And so, once the cask was chosen, it was time for our Friends to name it.
We asked for suggestions that captured both the bold, peated heart of Laphroaig and the gentle influence of sherry. The responses we received were nothing short of inspired. Thousands of ideas came in — some simple and heartfelt, like “Friends’ Cask”; others lyrical, like “Mermaid’s Kiss” or the Gaelic “An Dornachas” (The Darkness). And, naturally, there were a few lighthearted nods too, including the now-famous “Sherry McSmokeface.”
That one gave us a good laugh — but the final decision came from the heart. Among nearly 4,000 entries, one name emerged again and again, chosen by more than ten Friends independently. It felt right from the moment we saw it.
Islay Ember: A name that captures both the island’s rugged fire and the gentle glow of the sherry cask that shaped it.
A Whisky Worth Waiting For
Fully matured in its Amontillado sherry cask, Islay Ember has developed a beautifully balanced profile. On the nose, you’ll find rich, sweet, and nutty aromas, reminiscent of walnuts, maple syrup, and warm pancakes. On the palate, delicate cinnamon spice and cloves mingle with velvety smoke and salted caramel, leading to a long, smouldering finish that lingers like the dying glow of an Islay hearth.
Only 312 bottles of this rare single cask were produced — a number that reflects just how singular this whisky truly is. To ensure every Friend of Laphroaig has a fair chance to secure a bottle, Islay Ember will be available exclusively to pre-order.
Pre-order is now open and closes Thursday November at 12pm (Islay time) — that’s Greenwich Mean Time.
If fortune smiles on you, and you secure a bottle, you’ll hold in your hands not only a whisky of exceptional character, but a piece of community history — one that began with a question, and ended in collaboration.
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