Elements 2.0

Introducing Laphroaig Elements 2.0

Following the sell-out success of Laphroaig Elements 1.0, we’re excited to reveal Elements 2.0.  This time around, the distillery team went beyond the traditional approach to distillation to explore interesting and unusual ways to experiment with how Laphroaig is made. For this second edition, they looked at the impact of disrupting our usual 55-hour fermentation process to uncover different aspects of Laphroaig’s bold character.

The second release in our exploratory Series that challenges the boundaries of whisky making.

Starting life during a frosty January, the experimentation included several longer fermentations ranging up to almost five full days in the tun – a total of 115 hours. The tun was specially aerated to maintain mash conditions, much like practices of the past; a process that helps emphasise the fruitier notes of Laphroaig while maintaining its unmistakable smoky character.

With our standard fermentation around 55 hours in the washback, this spirit pushed the boundaries with up to 115 hours in the fermentation process. By extending the time, a secondary fermentation begins to happen inside the washback. This means more tropical, fruity flavours alongside the smoky signature.

You know we don’t like to follow the crowd, so rather than focus entirely on cask finishes or different styles to bring out, the Elements Series allows us to explore how we can engineer different flavours. With Elements 1.0, the team changed the combinations of semi-cloudy and cloudy wort, the sizes of the mash tuns, and the use of two varieties of barley malted and kilned in early autumn, all to see what impact it would have on flavour. And think it’s fair to say, it was a success.

This non-chill filtered whisky of a bold, pale gold colour captures with rich peat smoke, crisp green apple, and a warmth of ginger on the nose. Big, bold, and intense flavours sit together in harmony giving the whisky a surprisingly gentle feel.

Your first taste of Elements 2.0 will bring those unmistakable flavours together as well as more smoke, gooseberries, with some nuttiness and vanilla. At the end, you get lingering red berries and a powerful, long smoky finish.

Each of the releases of Laphroaig Elements showcase different experiments in the distillation process to show diversity and the skill of our distillery team. This Series is designed to allow them to experiment to see what can be achieved in terms of flavour, and for them to have some fun while they are at it!

We know you’re going to love Elements 2.0 and we can’t wait to share what is next in this rule-breaking Series. Watch this space...