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Laphroaig Strong Characters Chapter 1 33 Year Old, American oak barrels & European oak sherry hogsheads Cask, 43.8%
Laphroaig

Laphroaig Strong Characters Chapter 1 33 Year Old, American oak barrels & European oak sherry hogsheads Cask, 43.8%

4.4/5Expert Rating

Catalog product detail, market evidence, tasting notes, reviews, and collection actions.

TypeSingle Malt Whisky
MRI
MRI 30
Average Score
Avg 88
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Description

Laphroaig 33 Year Old Strong Characters - Donald Johnston is the first chapter in a new limited-edition series celebrating influential figures in Laphroaig's history. This 33-year-old single malt pays tribute to co-founder Donald Johnston, who established the distillery in 1815. Matured for over three decades in a combination of American oak bourbon casks and European oak sherry-seasoned hogsheads, this Islay whisky offers a distinctive smoky character and robust flavor profile. It was predominantly laid down in 1989 and bottled in 2024 at 43.8% ABV. The release is non-chill filtered and limited to 1000 bottles, featuring evocative illustrations by artist Bill Bragg.

Overall Rating
88/100
Great88 / 100

Based on 1 published Maltiply review.

Maltiply Tasting Profile
Nose
Creamy fudge with honey and a touch of sea salt. Notes of crème brûlée, stewed rhubarb and apple with custard. Heather honey, freshly baked sourdough bread and a briny sea spray. Peat smoke, vanilla and dried fruit. Oranges and satsumas.
Palate
Stewed fruit and smooth vanilla créme brûlée. Gentle sherry influence with notes of fruit cake and subtle spice. Warming cinnamon spice and Christmas cake, overlaid on an almost tropical backdrop of pineapples and bananas. Layers of peat, oak, and a hint of sweet toffee, balanced by saltiness. Citrus, freshly baked upside down cake, toasted pastries and sweet chocolate raisins. Smoky peat tones and holiday spices.
Finish
Iconic smoky finish sets the scene for savoury aromas of cured meat. Peat element reveals savoury aromas of smoked ham, cured mackerel, and a herbal, almost grassy smoke. Lingering smoky and maritime notes. Long and satisfying.

Reviews

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Change-8.5%
LatestSGD 945
HighSGD 1,175
LowSGD 826
SGD 1,217SGD 1,073SGD 929SGD 784Price (SGD)Observed dateAug 4Jan 6May 21Sep 13Aug 4 - SGD 1,033 - Whisky Auctioneer - Aug 4, 2025Aug 4 - SGD 846 - Whisky Auctioneer - Aug 4, 2025Aug 4 - SGD 826 - Whisky Auctioneer - Aug 4, 2025Aug 10 - SGD 1,112 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Aug 10, 2025Sep 8 - SGD 899 - Whisky Auctioneer - Sep 8, 2025Oct 6 - SGD 959 - Whisky Auctioneer - Oct 6, 2025Nov 17 - SGD 967 - Just Whisky Auctions - Nov 17, 2025Dec 7 - SGD 1,034 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Dec 7, 2025Jan 6 - SGD 1,100 - Alcovault Auctions - Jan 6, 2026Feb 9 - SGD 996 - Whisky Auctioneer - Feb 9, 2026Mar 8 - SGD 904 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Mar 8, 2026Mar 17 - SGD 1,175 - Whisky.Auction - Mar 17, 2026Apr 6 - SGD 978 - Whisky Auctioneer - Apr 6, 2026Apr 12 - SGD 945 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Apr 12, 2026May 4 - SGD 954 - Whisky Auctioneer - May 4, 2026May 10 - SGD 953 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - May 10, 2026May 21 - SGD 1,155 - Alcovault Auctions - May 21, 2026May 21 - SGD 1,155 - Alcovault Auctions - May 21, 2026Jun 8 - SGD 950 - Whisky Auctioneer - Jun 8, 2026Jun 8 - SGD 851 - Whisky Auctioneer - Jun 8, 2026Jun 11 - SGD 1,100 - Alcovault Auctions - Jun 11, 2026Jul 6 - SGD 873 - Whisky Auctioneer - Jul 6, 2026Jul 12 - SGD 996 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Jul 12, 2026Aug 9 - SGD 832 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Aug 9, 2026Aug 9 - SGD 872 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Aug 9, 2026Sep 13 - SGD 945 - Scotch Whisky Auctions - Sep 13, 2026

Recently Sold

Listed value is based on sold auction prices and inclusive of auction fees (not including tax and shipping).

Scotch Whisky AuctionsAuction Sold Price - Sep 13, 2026SGD 945.38
Scotch Whisky AuctionsAuction Sold Price - Aug 9, 2026SGD 832.08
Scotch Whisky AuctionsAuction Sold Price - Aug 9, 2026SGD 871.70

Listed For Sale

Listed price is based on available stock selling price from verified retail stores (not including tax and shipping).

The Whisky WorldVerified Retail Listing - Updated Oct 6, 2026SGD 1,625.82
Best of WinesVerified Retail Listing - Updated Oct 6, 2026SGD 1,487.21
Region
Islay
Age
33 Years
Vintage
1991
Bottled
2024
ABV
43.8%
Volume
70cl
Distillery
Laphroaig
Origin
Scotland
Cask type
American Oak Bourbon & European Oak Sherry-Seasoned Hogshead
Bottling
Official Bottling
Peated
Peated
Single cask
No
Non-chill filtered
Yes
Cask origin
N.A
Cask no.
N.A
Batch
Chapter 1
PPM
N.A
Barley
N.A
Fermentation
N.A
Master distiller (bottling)
Calum Fraser
Master distiller (distillation)
N.A
Limited edition
Yes
Bottle count
1000
Has box
Yes
Closure
Driven Cork
Presentation
Gift Box
Series highlights
Strong Characters series, Chapter 1 dedicated to Donald Johnston
Historical context
Donald Johnston (1815-1847) co-founder of Laphroaig
Special release
Initially exclusive to The Whisky Shop for 48 hours, then selected retailers
Allocation
Initially UK (The Whisky Shop), then selected retailers
Nose
Creamy fudge with honey and a touch of sea salt. Notes of crème brûlée, stewed rhubarb and apple with custard. Heather honey, freshly baked sourdough bread and a briny sea spray. Peat smoke, vanilla and dried fruit. Oranges and satsumas.
Palate
Stewed fruit and smooth vanilla créme brûlée. Gentle sherry influence with notes of fruit cake and subtle spice. Warming cinnamon spice and Christmas cake, overlaid on an almost tropical backdrop of pineapples and bananas. Layers of peat, oak, and a hint of sweet toffee, balanced by saltiness. Citrus, freshly baked upside down cake, toasted pastries and sweet chocolate raisins. Smoky peat tones and holiday spices.
Finish
Iconic smoky finish sets the scene for savoury aromas of cured meat. Peat element reveals savoury aromas of smoked ham, cured mackerel, and a herbal, almost grassy smoke. Lingering smoky and maritime notes. Long and satisfying.
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