Laphroaig Distillery Tour - Kiln Fire

These kilns have been here since 1840. We know this from the date on the original stone which is still in the kiln. Behind us through the open door you’ll see the sea. The salty air is drawn directly off the sea and mixes with the smoke from the peat which is cut from our own Peat beds. This mixture gives us the unique smoke - the sweetness of the heather and mosses combined with the medicinal tang of the lichens After about 12-13 hours the malted barley is fully ’peated’. To complete the process we have to continue drying the malt down to 4.5% moisture content, which stops the germination process. We do this by using hot air, the air having been heated by surplus hot water from our still house. Thus we peat first and dry later whereas other distilleries peat and dry at the same time. We do it this way as we find that it gives us a better all round flavour to our spirit.