In the wider canon of recent ‘brand/talent’ partnerships, there are some which perhaps feel slightly shoehorned together, where the A-list status of the celebrity in question overshadows the brand, or the arrangement feels more like a convenient financial transaction, rather than anything meaningful. However, Laphroaig, hailing from Islay on the west coast of Scotland, may well have just landed the most ‘authentic’ one yet.
At a private event held at Selfridges’ subterranean London cinema screen, Laphroaig, famed for its pungent, robust and uncompromising flavour profile, unveiled a new short film campaign fronted by multi award-winning actor, Willem Dafoe. Known for his incredibly diverse range of films, including unforgettable, and visceral performances in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, American Psycho, The Last Temptation of Christ and, perhaps most fittingly, the 2019 arthouse masterpiece, The Lighthouse (which evokes many coastal similarities to the island of Islay), Dafoe is no stranger to getting under the skin of a project.
The campaign – entitled ‘The Taste’, is directed by British filmmaker, Tim Pope and is the latest instalment in the brand’s ‘Unphorgettable’ campaign (which launched in 2024), and sees Dafoe explore the diverse, often highly challenging and unusual tasting notes used to describe the distinctive smoky profile of Laphroaig 10-year-old.
Gathered from members of the ‘Friends of Laphroaig’ the brand’s long running CRM programme, Dafoe narrates his way through the varied quotes – often with great humour – where the taste of Laphroaig is described as ‘like licking a walrus chomping on a seaweed cigar’ or ‘kissing a mermaid in a rocky rowboat on a fiery sea’ – with the actor’s distinctive gravelly tones and lived-in facial expressions giving each word more emphasis and meaning.
‘When the brand pitched me with the project, I thought this will be fun and I approached it like any acting job,’ explained Dafoe. ‘I’ve known the Laphroaig brand from when I was much younger and the people involved are really dedicated to what they’re doing, which turns me on, and I really saw it as a great creative opportunity.
‘The first time I ever travelled overseas, I went to Scotland – I was a kid,’ he continued. ‘And the first thing I thought when my feet touched down on the ground was, “something feels familiar here”. The land spoke to me – and “The Taste” depicts that sort of familiarity that’s found when exploring Laphroaig: it’s the flavours and how they come together.’
Speaking at the launch, managing director of Suntory Global Spirits, Chris Richardson said ‘Willem Dafoe is bold, curious and impossible to define, much like Laphroaig itself. His uncompromising dedication to craft mirrors our own approach to whisky making. He’s the ideal partner to bring to life the intense, unmistakable flavour of Laphroaig and to celebrate those around the world with character as distinctive as his.’
The campaign will extend into 2026 and it was revealed at the launch event that Dafoe has also collaborated on a limited edition release with the brand, together with Sarah Dowling, senior whisky maker for Laphroaig – with talk of a more ‘tropical, Pirates of the Caribbean’ feel, announced by the evening’s host, journalist and film critic, Mariella Frostrup – so potentially a rum cask-influenced Laphroaig? Time will tell.
Watch the full version of The Taste, or visit the Laphroaig website for more information.
