|
His Royal
Highness Prince Charles, Duke of
Rothesay visits the Laphroaig Distillery
to celebrate 200 years of the brand.
His
Royal Highness The Prince Charles, Duke
of Rothesay, this week visited the
Laphroaig Distillery on Islay to
commemorate the 200th anniversary of the
brand. Laphroaig is the only Single Malt
Scotch Whisky to bear a Royal Warrant, a
mark of recognition to those who supply
goods or services to the Royal
Households. The Duke led a toast to the
anniversary by raising a dram of limited
edition Laphroaig 15 Year Old Single
Malt 200th Anniversary Edition.
The visit is the third that the Duke has
paid to Laphroaig over the last 25
years. The Royal Warrant was issued
during the year of his first visit in
1994, and he returned as part of his
60th birthday celebrations in 2008.
The Duke, who in Scotland uses his
official Scottish title the Duke of
Rothesay, was hosted by John Campbell,
Distillery Manager of Laphroaig, Patrick
Loudon McIain Stewart, Lord-Lieutenant
of Argyll and Bute, Lady Lithgow, Depute
Lord-Lieutenant of Argyll and Bute and
Mick Ord, Director of Scotch and Irish
Whiskies at Beam Suntory. During the
visit, he met a number of Laphroaig
employees, filled, bunged and signed an
ex-bourbon cask and was given a tour of
the distillery. He also unveiled a
plaque in the Friends of Laphroaig's
field to officially open a cairn (a
traditional Scottish monument made of
rough stones) commemorating the 200th
anniversary. At the end of the tour, the
Duke was presented with gifts for both
himself and his wife the Duchess of
Rothesay, including branded 'Friends of
Laphroaig' wellington boots and bottles
of Laphroaig 15 Year Old.
The Duke's visit also marks the launch
of The Laphroaig Legacy Fund, a
charitable initiative aimed at
supporting Islay's people, community and
environment in 2015. The Legacy Fund has
been created to both celebrate the
distillery's past and help to secure the
future of its community by supporting
local projects and businesses that are
promoting the sustainability of Islay
living. This year, bottles and casks of
40 Year Old whisky signed during the
Duke's last visit will be auctioned to
raise money for the fund. A corporate
donation from Beam Suntory and £1
donation from every bottle of Laphroaig
21 Year Old and Cairdeas sold through
the Laphroaig Visitor Centre and Online
Shop in 2015 will also be put towards
the fund. Following an application and
selection process, a series of targeted
grants will be issued to the successful
beneficiaries; these could include
community projects, environmental
sustainability programmes or initiatives
that enhance the skills sets of
islanders.
Laphroaig, which was this year crowned
Best Visitor Attraction in Scotland
2014/2015 by the Scottish Thistle
Awards, is also celebrating its 200th
anniversary with limited edition
commemorative releases of Laphroaig 15
Year Old, Laphroaig 32 Year Old, and
Laphroaig 21 Year Old.
John Campbell, Distillery Manager of
Laphroaig, says, "We are absolutely
delighted to welcome the Duke back to
Laphroaig to commemorate what is a
momentous year for our distillery and
brand. We are extremely grateful for his
ongoing support over the years, which
has helped enable us to preserve the
unique heritage of the Scottish whisky
industry and to give back to our
community. Our 200th anniversary is an
opportunity for us to continue to
support the region through The Laphroaig
Legacy Fund, celebrate our position as
an integral part of the local economy,
and help ensure that the community of
Islay can prosper into the future."
You will find the complete range of
Laphroaig whisky including
Laphroaig 15 Year Old Single Malt 200th
Anniversary Edition whisky available from
The Whisky Exchange
|
Keep up to date with
the latest whisky news and special
offers