Laphroaig Taste Trailblazers Dinner Series: The Spirit of Islay Meets Local Flavours

Seven, hand-picked restaurants across the city are gearing up for Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky’s Taste Trailblazers in South Africa, a global celebration of culinary pioneers pushing the boundaries of flavour.

Inspired by Islay, Taste Trailblazers challenges some of the best eateries in Johannesburg to merge the best of their kitchen and bar skills to create a series of culinary experiences based on the three taste pillars that make Laphroaig the nest single malt Scotch Whisky – salt, fire and peat.

THE TASTES OF ISLAY

Founded in 1815 and perched on the south coast of Islay, Laphroaig is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland and produces single-malt Scotch whisky renowned for its smoky notes and distinct flavour profile.

Laphroaig produces its award-winning whiskies based on three main pillars – peat, fire and salt. The innovative founders of the distillery used the surplus of organic matter from the barley they had grown to fire up their whisky-making process. The result was whisky with unique flavours of the essence of Islay itself, peat.

Laphroaig’s whiskies draw their salty notes from the wood in the barrels infused by the stormy Atlantic climate as the warehouse has braced itself against the craggy shores of the bay for over 100 years. The third factor contributing to Laphroaig’s distinctive taste is the flaming peat kilns they’ve used, which are nearly as old as the distillery itself. The open flames of the turf fire burn low and long with deep smoke rising through the malting floors – a magical process that produces the iconic whisky.

TASTE TRAILBLAZERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Taste Trailblazers invites pioneering culinary partners across South Africa to showcase their use of peat, salt and fire through food and drinks by entering as a chef-and-bartender team that aims to push the boundaries of taste.

Together, the chef-and-bartender team conceptualise and serve a menu of dishes and drinks that showcase the unforgettable flavours of peat, salt and fire and create a truly immersive and memorable dining experience for guests. Participating chef-and-bartender teams compete with other culinary partners across South Africa as the brand ambassador and trusted media partners attend the dining experiences with the aim of finding the winning Taste Trailblazers of South Africa.

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

The seven restaurants in Joburg participating in the competition will host two dinners each, running from May until August. Tickets will be on sale for food and whisky lovers to be a part of the Taste Trailblazing action.

The winners will be selected and announced in September 2023. The top chef and bartender win the grand prize of a trip to Fèis Ìle 2024 (Islay Whisky Festival). Restaurants include: