[News Terms] Gift from Charles III of the UK, ‘Laphroaig Whiskey’

The Laphroaig whiskey gifted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom to President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife during their state visit is a representative brand of peated whiskey produced on the Scottish Isle of Islay.

Photo by La Proie website

Laphroaig means "beautiful wetland of the broad bay" in Gaelic, and the essence of Laphroaig whiskey lies in the peat born from wetlands. Peat, called 이탄 (itan) in Korean, refers to sediment compressed by water consisting of small shrubs, grass, flowers, and seaweed. It can be considered the earliest stage of coal, which we use as fuel. Since 90% of its composition is water, unlike regular coal fuel, it burns longer and produces a lot of smoke. When barley is dried with the smoke generated at this time, it acquires the unique peat flavor reminiscent of disinfectants or iodine. This is why you can sense a disinfectant-like distinctive aroma in Laphroaig whiskey. The Laphroaig distillery, established in 1815 by the Johnston brothers, still produces whiskey using traditional methods.

Laphroaig whiskey is a drink that clearly divides opinions due to its strong peaty aroma. Some people dislike the taste of Laphroaig whiskey, describing it as medicinal or like disinfectant, but the secret to Laphroaig distillery being able to sell whiskey during the American Prohibition era from the 1920s to 1930s was precisely this unique aroma that could be disguised as medicinal disinfectant.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to the United Kingdom, is riding a carriage with King Charles III to Buckingham Palace after the official welcoming ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London on the 21st (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, many people liken the peat aroma to "rough sea breeze," "fruity scent," or "forest fragrance." The person who fell for this whiskey with strong likes and dislikes was none other than King Charles III of the United Kingdom. It is a famous anecdote that Charles III, then Prince of Wales, visited the Laphroaig distillery in 1994 and personally awarded the Royal Warrant, the royal certification. At that time, the Laphroaig distillery gifted two oak barrels containing their whiskey to Charles III as a commemorative gift for the visit, and Charles III reciprocated by granting the Prince's Royal Warrant. It was the first case of a single malt whiskey receiving a Royal Warrant. The relationship between Charles III and the Laphroaig distillery continued afterward, and the whiskey gifted to President Yoon and his wife this time is a special limited edition from a barrel signed during Charles III’s visit to the Laphroaig distillery in June 2008.

The Laphroaig distillery is currently owned by Beam Suntory, a subsidiary of Japan's Suntory Holdings. Suntory acquired "Beam Global Spirits & Wine," which produced the American Jim Beam whiskey brand, in 2011 and established Beam Suntory. Beam Suntory's representative whiskey brands include the American Jim Beam and Maker's Mark, as well as Japan's Yamazaki and Bowmore.

Meanwhile, on the 21st (local time), King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as state guests, presented President Yoon and his wife with Laphroaig whiskey along with a copy of Winston Churchill's book Stemming the Tide, a pashmina embroidered with the Mugunghwa flower and the names of their pet dogs (made of the finest cashmere), among other gifts. Churchill's book is a collection of speeches from 1951 to 1952, hand-bound at the Windsor Castle royal bindery, with a custom dedication label attached.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.