Bessie's Island Diary
The Traditional Malting Floor

We are blessed with the greenest, most fertile island in the Hebrides. Here, we grow our own local golden barley, characterised by its high starch content. As other distilleries strive to be modern, little changes at Laphroaig. Indeed, one day we may be the only whisky makers to retain our traditional malting floor. Between stone pillars, the barley is soaked for two days and spread out to germinate. The rhythmic action of the maltmen's wooden shovels, slowly turning the malt to maintain an even temperature and ensure the roots do not tangle, has a soothing quality.

Bessie's Island Diary The sweet smoke of a peat fire The heart of the distillery The long sleep of maturation The traditional malting floor

Copyright & Copy D. Johnston & Co., (Laphroaig), Laphroaig Distillery, Isle of Islay
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