Laphroaig x Francis Mallmann: an exceptional collaboration

By Nathalie Baylaucq 1.08.2023

In September, a very limited edition of Laphroaig x Francis Mallmann will be available. This new single-malt Scotch whisky captures both the peaty signature of Laphroaig and the wood-fired cooking of the famous Patagonian chef.

These two unique identities blend harmoniously to create a whisky with surprising, inimitable notes, sublimating its shared essence: this is Laphroaig x Francis Mallmann

Francis Mallmann, a man of rebirth, a man of many talents, from chef to painter (he designed the box) to tailor, but above all a man of patience.

A man who knows how to wait for time, and who knows that time is precious, and that you have to wait for time.

Having been raised in a house where everything was heated by fire. Later, he looks back on his childhood to cook everything over a wood fire, with the incandescent blue smoke created by the flame.

Francis Mallmann waits for the embers to build up, then for the meat and vegetables to roast slowly for hours, and the man waits, watching, observing as if his eyes were accompanying the cooking.

The renaissance man who knows that time is our friend has been chosen by Laphroaig to create a new cuvée inspired by fire and smoke.

A good whisky needs time, as we all know. Thanks to the peat conferred by the wood, we obtain this rich flavor… The art of tasting smoke and fire unite through this philosophic and talented man to give birth to this new cuvée Laphroaig x Francis Mallmann 17 ans. Without a doubt, Francis was the perfect creator.

With peat hand-selected by Patagonian chef Francis Mallmann during his visit to Islay, this special edition evokes the quiet, irresistible powers of the wild landscape that captured his imagination as he explored the distillery and native island.

“Laphroaig’s identity and mine are ruled by smoke, the most incredible element in the history of the human species. This 17-year-old Islay single malt Scotch whisky captures the common essence of a peaty signature and thus sublimates my vision of gastronomy“, confides Francis Mallmann.

Tasting Notes Laphroaig x Francis Mallmann

51,4%, Single Malt Whisky, Scotland / Islay, 70cl

Color: Amber

Nose: Sweet honey with a touch of mango, which gives way to slivered almonds and Demerara sugar with notes of tanned leather.

Palate: Initially peppery and spicy, it then reveals sweet notes of orange zest and tropical fruit, salted caramel, intermingled with inimitable notes of peat smoke and sea salt.

Finish: Long and dry, warming the mouth and bringing out the peat and salt on the lips.

Francisco José Mallmann

Francisco José Mallmann, also known as Francis Mallmann, born January 14, 1956 in Acassuso (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), is an Argentine chef and food writer, specializing in Argentine cuisine, particularly Patagonian. He was born on January 14, 1956 in Acassuso (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), where his grandparents lived. After a few years in Chicago, he grew up in Bariloche, Patagonia, where his father worked. He began working as a cook on a tourist boat on Lake Nahuel Huapi in 1970. At the end of the 1970s, he worked for over two years in Paris, learning cooking from a number of chefs, including Alain Chapel.

Back in Argentina, he taught cooking classes and opened a restaurant in Palermo, in the northeast of Buenos Aires. In 1984, he published his first cookbook, La Cocina al instante. He presented a cooking show on Argentine television during the 1980s-1990s, from his restaurant in Palermo in winter and in Punta del Este in summer. Today, he is one of Argentina’s most popular chefs, owning numerous restaurants in Argentina (including Patagonia Sur), Uruguay, Chile, Miami (USA) and France. He is particularly renowned for his wood-fired grilled meats and fish.

In 2016, he was featured in an episode of the documentary series Chef’s Table.

His fire-grilling technique will be the focus of a competition in season 13 of Top Chef, to be broadcast on M6 and RTL-TVI in 2022.

Source: Wikipedia

Acerca de Laphroaig

The Laphroaig distillery is one of the most emblematic distilleries on Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland marked by sea spray and numerous peat bogs. Since its foundation in 1815, a small team of islanders has combined seaweed-rich peat from the Glenmachrie country with water from the Kilbride Dam spring, which feeds the distillery’s kilns, where the barley is then dried.

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