I was intrigued by an offer for free land that came with a random bottle of single malt Scotch Whisky that I picked up recently. Not only did Laphroaig (pronounced “La-Froig”) turn out to be my new favorite Scotch, with a lovely smokey taste that I favor, but the land offer led to a fascinating journey, that may lead to an excursion to the Isle of Islay in Scotland (pronounced I-lay), and aligns nicely with my Scottish heritage from my mother.
My land in Scotland
The land that is included with each bottle is actually a 1 square foot in a field near their distillery, which is associated with a serial number on the bottle label. Based on the certificate they sent me, it is actually a lease for the land, which includes a payment of a dram of whisky when you visit them!
Here is “my” 1 foot plot:
![](https://yesretired.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/image-1-1024x666.png)
Based on the GPS coordinates, google maps, revealed that the neighbor down the road, is actually my previous favorite Lagavulin Scotch! Plus the coastal ruins of Dunyvaig Castle is nearby.
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And my official certificate:
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![](https://yesretired.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_4777-1024x760.jpg)
Maybe I could set up an AirBnB tree house?
The Whisky
The original choice I made was actually not a specific age of Scotch (typically 10 years or 16 years), which means its a blend of 5 other Scotches they produce. But to my great surprise it had a VERY appealing smokey taste. Here are the official descriptions from their site: (Select Scotch | Laphroaig) Our most approachable whisky. A blend of single malts hand-selected from five different casks, creating a mellow Scotch with balanced and complex flavour.
I eventually decided to get another bottle, of their 10 year version which is also great. They have a 25 year version, but I am not up to the $2500 price tag.
YOUR FIRST SIP WON’T BE YOUR LAST
It’s only fitting that the perfect introduction to peated whisky draws from a broad range of casks in our storehouse. Sweet and smooth, Laphroaig® Select tells our two hundred year history of passionate distilling in every dram. To create the Laphroaig® Select blend, our Master Distiller hand-selected whiskies aged in Oloroso sherry butts, first-fill ex-Bourbon quarter casks and Pedro Ximenez sherry hogsheads at different levels of maturation. Finished in virgin American oak barrels – a rare wood source for Scotch whisky. Our most laid-back expression lets our signature flavours of medicinal peat smoke and seaweed shine, leaving plenty of room for notes of red fruit, lime and a floral finish.
- COLOUR Sparkling gold appearance with layered tones
- NOSE Forward peat smoke followed quickly by ripe red fruits
- PALATE Sweet at first, followed by peat smoke and dashes of ash and seaweed
- FINISH Long finish with lingering floral notes. Touches of marzipan and lime
- MATURATION Blend of whiskies aged in Oloroso sherry butts, Pedro Ximenez hogsheads and ex-Bourbon casks, finished in new American Oak.
Conclusion
Yes, the land in Scotland is a gimmick, but it really dragged me deeper into their web site to discover more about their products. I look forward to tasting more of their offerings, perhaps even a trip to Scotland to see my new land :-).
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