The newest Scotch whisky release from Laphroaig is The Ian Hunter Story Book One: Unique Character, with liquid that is 30 years old.

It’s also the first chapter of a series of rare and collectable aged whiskies that honor the legacy of Hunter. He was the last of the Johnston family to own and manage the Laphroaig distillery, between 1908 and 1944.

Each release will contain an aged Laphroaig, set into a crafted book that will document a part of Ian’s legacy. Every year, a new chapter will be told, uncovering the history behind Laphroaig and the characters who created it.

Book One: Unique Character is 46.7% ABV. Aged in first-fill bourbon barrels, this non-chill filtered whisky is rounded with a combination of sweet, zesty and medicinal notes, the company says. This is Hunter’s influence, as it was his decision to introduce American white oak barrels into the maturation process of Laphroaig.

“And over time, the original smokiness of this 30-year-old whisky has become less of an assault on the senses,” the company says. “Married with the sweet vanilla notes enhanced with aging, the whisky develops into a more mature, well-rounded dram.”

The Ian Hunter Story Book One: Unique Character is available for a suggested retail price of approximately $560 per 750-ml. bottle.

Source: BeverageDynamics