Laphroaig® Stays True To Its Heritage With Newest Release, Laphroaig® Select

DEERFIELD, Ill., July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Laphroaig®, the world's #1 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, proudly introduces its newest expression, Laphroaig® Select Scotch Whisky. This new, innovative expression brings the distinct styles of the Laphroaig portfolio together to create a new expression that stays true to the brand's heritage with an added layer of complexity and depth brought about by marrying various maturation styles and different oaks.

The liquid is carefully selected by Laphroaig Master Distiller, John Campbell, from the finest casks representing the favorite styles of Laphroaig - Quarter Cask, PX Cask, Triple Wood and Ten-Year Old Casks - creating a subtle blending of peat, oak and sweetness. The true heart of the spirit is then drawn from a final maturation in new American Oak casks, rarely used in Scotch Whisky maturation. During the last six months of aging, Laphroaig Select rests in the highest, warmest reaches of the warehouse throughout the Scottish summer.

The inspiration behind Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky, and the unique method of aging, comes from the history and family lineage of the Laphroaig brand. Ian Hunter, the last family member to own Laphroaig, was influential in experimenting with new ways of distilling and was one of the first to combine American bourbon casks with traditional European casks to create new flavors, which at the time had not been seen. Laphroaig Select takes inspiration from Ian, creating a new expression with both classic and new flavors.

"Laphroaig Select is a true original and, as always, we have stayed true to our roots, using the fantastic Laphroaig heritage as inspiration for this new innovation," said John Campbell, Laphroaig Master Distiller. "Laphroaig Select delivers a liquid with a unique marriage of our trademark 'peat reek' and a gentle sweetness, which we hope will both surprise and delight you."

At 80 proof, Laphroaig Select is best enjoyed neat or with a splash of water to release the earthy aroma of blue peat smoke, sweet nuttiness of barley and the heathery perfume of Islay's streams. Laphroaig Select is available at fine retail locations in select markets nationwide with a suggested retail price of $55.00 per 750ml bottle. Laphroaig Select joins the Laphroaig portfolio of Scotch whiskies that includes Laphroaig 10-Year-Old, 10-Year-Old Cask Strength, Quarter Cask, 18-Year-Old, 25-Year-Old, QA Cask, Triple Wood and Cairdeas 2014 Amontillado Edition.

For more information, please visit www.Laphroaig.com for a product locator, like us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Laphroaig or follow @Laphroaig on Twitter and Instagram. Laphroaig invites fans to share their unique and honest opinions of our expressions at www.Laphroaig.com/Opinions or on social media with the hashtag #OpinionsWelcome™. To become a Friend of Laphroaig® and stay up to date on special editions, consumers should look for the code on their next bottle purchase.

About Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky
Laphroaig (La-'froyg) literally means "the beautiful hollow by the broad bay." Born from the streams and blue peat smoke of Islay, Laphroaig is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a distinct taste and story in every bottle. The secret to Laphroaig is that it benefits from the happy circumstances of where it is produced—next to ocean water and on land that gives Laphroaig a unique peaty taste. It is one of only a few distilleries that still uses traditional malting floors and dries and infuses its own malt with the thick blue smoke from old peat-fired kilns. It's also the only Single Malt Scotch Whisky to bear a Royal Warrant bestowed by HRH Prince Charles. Further demonstrating the whisky's superior quality, Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Cask Strength and Laphroaig Quarter Cask each received a Gold Medal at the 2014 International Review of Spirits while Laphroaig 10-Year-Old won a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Friends of Laphroaig®
Each bottle of Laphroaig Scotch Whisky comes with a gift of friendship. Created by Laphroaig Master Distiller John Campbell, Friends of Laphroaig is a distinguished loyalty group, which today boasts over 600,000 members from more than 150 countries. Each Friend of Laphroaig is given a lifetime lease on a numbered, one square foot plot of land in Islay that runs alongside the important Laphroaig water source – the Killbride stream. The plot is registered and can be visited in person or via video on the Friends of Laphroaig website – www.Laphroaig.com/Friends. Throughout the year, Friends of Laphroaig from all over the world get together and share photos, tasting notes, Scottish history and more. To become a member of Friends of Laphroaig, consumers can enter their unique code found on each bottle of Laphroaig on the Laphroaig Facebook Page – www.Facebook.com/Laphroaig or the Friends of Laphroaig website at www.Laphroaig.com/Friends.

About Beam Suntory Inc.
As the world's third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including the flagship Jim Beam bourbon and Yamazaki Japanese whisky, as well as world renowned premium brands including Maker's Mark and Knob Creek bourbons, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher's, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.  The company generates annual worldwide sales of approximately $4.6 billion excluding excise taxes.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial culture.  Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Laphroaig® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 40% - 55.7% alc./vol. ©2014 Laphroaig Import Company, Deerfield, IL
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SOURCE Beam Suntory Inc.