Laphroaig Live is now in its seventh year and this year’s show will be broadcast live from the city that never sleeps, New York. The venue for the evening is an original Hudson River Barge which, at over 99 years old, has seen cargo come and go into New York for almost a century. While the barge was taking its cargo into port, Ian Hunter – the last family owner of Laphroaig – was introducing the world to the now famous whisky. Legend has it he even introduced it to the USA during Prohibition by convincing authorities of its “medicinal” purposes! An expert panel of guests will explore the strong ties between America and Laphroaig, stepping back in time to the era of Prohibition and tracing its heritage through to the booming whisky cocktail scene it helped create.
They’ll look first to the fastest growing Laphroaig expression, Quarter Cask, matured in barrels similar to those used in the early days of the distillery. To contrast this the panelists will sample the latest expression, Laphroaig QA, which uses the American style of maturation. They will compare it to the classic American bourbon from sister distillery, Maker’s 46. The final expression will be the remarkable Cairdeas 2013, bottled for the Friends of Laphroaig. This unique expression used Port Wood for part of its maturation, resulting in an extraordinary taste and color. As the show is live from New York, the home of the cocktail, we will have one of the city’s finest bartenders creating some exciting cocktails using Laphroaig in a very different way.
Meet the Laphroaig Live Panel
As always, we’ll be joined by Distillery Manager, John Campbell. This year he’ll be accompanied on the panel by Bourbon Ambassador Adam Harris and the renowned Michael J. Neff, Mixologist and Founder of Ward III, and cocktail and spirit enthusiast Kevin Sintumuang, web editor of GQ. A studio audience of Friends of Laphroaig will join the tens of thousands of Laphroaig fans worldwide that tune in to our live show every year. So join us – and them – for what’s set to be a phenomenal event!
John Campbell
John Campbell was named Laphroaig’s distillery manager in 2006, fulfilling a 12-year-old ambition. He is the youngest distiller on the island and the first Ileach (native of Islay) to run Laphroaig in its 190 year history. Since joining Laphroaig in 1994, John has worked across the whole distilling process both at Laphroaig and in distilleries including Tormore, Miltonduff and Ardmore.
Adam Harris
Adam spends time working at the Jim Beam Distillery, learning first-hand from seventh-generation Master Distiller Fred Noe as well as at Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. He has also spent quality time pouring and developing bourbon cocktails, having worked behind the bar as a mixologist at multiple on-premise venues in New York.
Michael J. Neff
An avid whisky lover, Michael J. Neff is founder of one of the premier whisky and bespoke cocktail bars in the NYC area, Ward III. He’s been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and Serious Eats. Following a long stint in Brooklyn, Neff recently headed out west to consult on a new project in downtown Los Angeles.
Kevin Sintumquang
Kevin Sintumuang is the Web Editor of GQ, the premier men’s lifestyle magazine where he covers cocktails and spirits among other topics. He wrote and reported the magazine’s first ranking of the best cocktail bars in America, and has has also written a drinking column for The Wall Street Journal’s Off Duty section, the newspaper’s lifestyle section which he helped to conceive.
What We’ll Be Tasting
The show will be broadcast from an original Hudson River Barge, which at over 99 years old has seen cargo come and go into New York for almost a century. Laphroaig® will bring a fantastic selection of its expressions direct from Islay to New York and explore how the North-Atlantic ties are still thriving today.
LAPHROAIG CÁIRDEAS 2013 LAPHROAIGQA CASK LAPHROAIG QUARTER CASK MAKER’S 46
How to Join in At Home!
Here’s how to join the most talked about live online whisky tasting of the year:
- LOG ON to www.Laphroaig.com/Live to watch the show on 9/26
- TWEET at @LaphroaigUSA #LaphroaigLive #Laphroaig #Whisky on Twitter
- LIKE and share your thoughts at www.Facebook.com/LaphroaigUSA on Facebook
Download your Tasting Mat by clicking on the link, which you can utilize to hold your own whisky tasting at home.
Ask your questions for the expert panelists live at Laphroaig.com.
