Laphroaig Museum Opening (24/05/09)

Written by Claudio on 13/10/2009

On Sunday 24th of May 2009, during the Feis ILe 2009, there was the opening of the Friends of Laphroaig’s Museum. We were there.

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A group of limited Friends of Laphroaig could participate to the Grand Opening of the new museum of Laphroaig.

Laphroaig has a rich history, and is going on 200 years of activity (2015) so it was right to have a place where to collect memories and testimonies. The museum was built in the first months of 2009, close to the Friends of Laphroaig’s lounge and it was opened during the following Feis Ile.

We show in this article a photographic story of that marvellous evening.

Cut of the ribbon Invited friends arrived at 20, welcomed by a nice evening and a bright sunset. A FOL was pulled out among the others, who – after the welcome of John Campbell – had the honour to cut the ribbon and open the museum and the event.

List of the guests The museum is made of black panels, on which is written the history of Laphroaig and of Islay Whisky. The dark colour of the walls, the lack of illumination, give the museum of Laphroaig a respectful atmosphere.

Old tools In the museum are represented old tools used in the past to extract peat, in the malt production and in the construction of casks. In a corner there are all the utensils used by the tax collector (who lived at the distillery).

Types of casks There are 5 casks: a Spanish Butt (ex Sherry, 500 L), a Scottish Hogshead (250 L), an American Barrel (Bourbon, 200 L), a Quarter Cask (125 L, recently used again by Laphroaig) and a little Firkin (40 L, old English volume unit, generally used to contain beer).

Opening ceremony Dennis, an American from Minnesota and assiduous participant to the Feis Ile, entertained us with his friend bagpipe. The festival is always an occasion to see old friends who come from every corner of the world. Then John described us what had been represented in the museum.

Laphroaig tasting John Campbell guided the tasting of the three expressions of Cairdeas (friendship in gaelic): the Cairdeas (2008 Festival bottling), the Cairdeas 12 years (2009 Festival bottling) and the rare, precious and expensive Cairdeas 30 years. It was possible to taste the new Laphroaig cheese too, a matured cheddar flavoured with our favourite malt.

Old documents During the evening it has been possible to consult documents of the history of Laphroaig and Islay. The ancient maps were very interesting. So were also the plans of Laphroaig with the indications of the expansion projects of the distillery and the cash registers with all the incomes and outgoings per day.

Sign of the cask To the participants of the evening was asked to sign an Ex-Bourbon cask. That cask was filled with New Spirit the following days and put to mature in the Warehouse #1. Just the people who signed that cask will be able to buy the whisky that is going to be bottled from that cask.

Group picture Here’s a picture of the group of the 30 people circa who participated to the opening of the new Museum of Laphroaig. Now Laphroaig has a new great shop with a very nice staff, a relaxing place reserved for the Friends of Laphroaig (the lounge) and the new museum. A reason more to go to Islay and visit the distillery.

The end Thanks to our friend and member Nadi Fiori it has been possible to immortalize the last act of that great night. It is 23.39, guess who’s the last one to leave the Visitors’ Centre? And guess what is bringing with his arms?

Ti sfidiamo!

La parola Laphroaig è ripetuta in questo sito per alcune centinaia di volte.
Trova un punto in cui è scritta in modo errato, segnalacelo, e riceverai una mignon di Laphroaig 10yo in omaggio!

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