
Part of the triumvirate of heavily-peated southern Islay malts, alongside LVMH's Ardbeg and Diageo's Lagavulin, Laphroaig was founded in 1810 by brothers Alexander and Donald Johnston (although the official year of start-up is given as 1815 on the company's labels and literature). The histories of Lagavulin and Laphroaig have been closely tied together, with Lagavulin said to have been founded by Alex and Donald's father, John.