Laphroaig 25 Year Old The Bessie Williamson Story Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$1,099.00
Overview

Laphroaig 25 Year Old The Bessie Williamson Story is a tribute, not just a limited release. Named after the woman who put Islay whisky on the map in America, it was matured for 25 years in refill American oak hogsheads and barrels, and bottled exclusively for Global Travel Retail. Distilled in 1994 and bottled in 2019, it's a softer, more restrained side of Laphroaig — with a genuinely remarkable story behind it.

Bessie Williamson joined Laphroaig as a summer temp in 1932. When owner Ian Hunter suffered a stroke in 1938, she stepped up to manage the distillery's US distribution, and went on to become the first woman to own and manage a Scotch whisky distillery. From 1961 to 1964 she served as the Scotch Whisky Association's American spokesperson, touring the US and helping establish Islay whisky's reputation in the market. This bottle was released as a tribute to her legacy, packaged with a book telling her story.

Product Details
Attribute Detail
Brand Laphroaig
Producer Laphroaig Distillery (Suntory Global Spirits)
Country / Region Scotland – Isle of Islay
Style Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Mash Bill 100% Malted Barley
Age Statement 25 Years (distilled 1994, bottled 2019)
ABV 43%
Cask Type Refill American oak hogsheads and refill barrels
Bottle Size 700ml
Release Type Limited Edition — Global Travel Retail exclusive
Tasting Notes

Nose: Spicy and floral, with pear drops, green apples, and bonbons.

Palate: Salty tar oil, sweet herbs and spices, acacia honey, tomato leaf, and black pepper.

Finish: Medium to long, fruity, with peat smoke building at the end.

What sets this bottle apart
  • Leather-bound packaging that is as impressive as the whisky inside
  • Named after Bessie Williamson — the first woman to own and manage a Scotch whisky distillery
  • 25 years matured in refill American oak hogsheads and barrels
  • Packaged with a book on Bessie's story, tasting notes, and a message from distillery manager John Campbell
  • A softer, more rounded Laphroaig — built to reflect her character rather than chase peat
Distillery Information

Founded in 1815 on the rugged southern coast of Islay, Laphroaig (pronounced "la-FROYG") is one of the most distinctive names in Scotch whisky — and famously, one you'll either love or love to argue about. Its name comes from the Gaelic for "the beautiful hollow by the broad bay," a fitting nod to the distillery's dramatic seaside setting, where the whisky matures within sight and smell of the Atlantic.

Laphroaig is one of the few distilleries that still hand-turns its own malted barley on traditional floor maltings, using peat cut from the distillery's own bogs. That peat is the heart of Laphroaig's character: intensely smoky, medicinal, and maritime, with notes of iodine, seaweed, tar, and a surprising sweetness underneath. It's the most iconoclastic flavour profile in Scotch — bold, uncompromising, and unmistakable.

Laphroaig also holds a Royal Warrant from King Charles III — a mark of approval that sits somewhat amusingly alongside its reputation as the whisky that famously divides opinion at first sip.

Who this bottle is for
  • Laphroaig collectors after a rare, story-driven release
  • Travel retail shoppers who want something with real history behind it
  • Islay fans keen to try the smoke turned down and the fruit turned up
  • Anyone after a proper gift bottle with a story worth telling
How to enjoy

  • Best enjoyed neat, in a proper whisky glass
  • Take your time — this one is built for a slow pour
  • A perfect one to open alongside the book that comes with it

Why we curate it

This is Laphroaig honouring the woman who built its American reputation. Twenty-five years in refill oak, softer and more rounded than the core range, with a story behind it that most bottles can't touch. Get one while you can.