Williamson is a common pseudonym for blended malts and single malts produced at the Laphroaig distillery. The name honors Bessie Williamson, the longtime manager and face of the distillery during the 1960s and 70s. She has been credited with laying the foundation for the popularity of peated single malts in the United States as she was a frequent trans-Atlantic traveller and promoter for the distillery. 

Blended malts, such as this one, bearing the name Williamson have typically been teaspooned with something else so that they cannot be bottled as a single malt or use the name of a distillery.  While William Grant & Sons have long embraced this practice for whiskies produced at Glenfiddich and Balvenie, Laphroaig has been less consistent when it comes to selling casks with naming rights, no naming rights, or having been teaspooned. Presumably the shifts reflect management prerogatives or their feeling toward bulk blending, cask sales, and independent bottlers.

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Whisky: Williamson Blended Malt 12 Year, Thompson Brothers

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 50%

Cask: Refill Sherry Butt

Age: 12 Years (Distilled 7 Sept. 2010, Bottled Dec. 2022)

Notes: The aroma was loaded with the scent of road paving projects, smoked pork belly, and dried herbs. The herbal character was almost floral at times as heather and menthol lingered in the background. Green wood smoke and honey provided a sweet and acrid collision with dusty red dirt in the background— campfires and camping in the spring.  Medium-bodied and mild on the palate, the reduced abv made this easy to drink with an initial gust of smoke and honey leading smoked fish, smoked salts, grilled banana, and charred grass. Heather and red dirt lingered with black pepper, turning slightly acrid with creosote and tar at the end. The finish was medium to short with pepper, grill gristle, a kiss of salt, and mellow earthy smoke.

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Score: 6 (79)

Mental Image: Food Cart in a Pothole

Conclusion: This was bristling with plenty of classic Laphroaig notes, though the reduced abv on the palate made it considerably easier to drink than your standard issue young Laphroaig. The aroma was enticing, and while I wished the palate were a bit richer and the finish a bit longer, the whisky was enjoyable— a lofi version of the Islay classic. More a casual dram than a special occasion one, I am reasonably certain this bottle would quickly disappear from my cabinet as it was so easy to drink. The peat shy may still find it a bit acrid and bitter to really tuck into, but it was friendlier than most.