Barry MacAffer has announced his decision to step down as Distillery Manager at Laphroaig.
MacAffer joined Laphroaig in 2011, initially working on their malt floors and warehouse. In 2016 he became to Assistant Manager of the legendary Islay distillery and earned a further promotion six years later to become Laphroaig’s Distillery Manager.
Before his promotion in 2022 MacAffer worked closely with then Distillery Manager John Campbell, the man who had been at the helm of Laphroaig for over 25 years. This no doubt gave MacAffer a wealth of experience and a sense of continuity for the Laphroaig brand upon Campbell’s departure.
During his reign at Laphroaig, MacAffer was responsible for developing the long running and well-loved Cairdeas range. In 2023 Laphroaig also launched the new Elements series with the 1.0 releases. This series of premium single malts will celebrate the creativity and innovation in whisky making - something close to MacAffer’s heart.
Community is also important to MacAffer. As a native of the island he is proud of Laphroaig’s place within the wider Islay community. While working for the distillery he was also a spirited advocate for the Friends of Laphroaig - Laphroaig’s international network of passionate fans - and sought way to enhance their experience, wherever the Friends may find themselves across the globe.
In his letter to Friends of Laphroaig, MacAffer did not give a specific reason for his resignation other than the desire to seek new opportunities outside of Islay. We’re excited to see what Barry does next - no doubt he’ll be an asset wherever he lands.
His relatively short tenure might come as a shock to some, but there’s certainly no ill feeling between the parties involved. MacAffer described his time at Laphroaig as “an incredible journey” and said that “Laphroaig will always have a special place in my heart”.
No news has been released regarding a successor. In his letter MacAffer said that he will continue to work closely with the team at Laphroaig to make the transition as seamless as possible, promising to forever to support the brand as a “lifelong Friend”.
It’s certainly an exciting, if uncertain, time for Laphroaig. At the time of writing Feis Ile 2024 - one of the most anticipated events in the whisky calendar - is right around the corner, with every distillery on the island gearing up for a week of whisky themed festivities.
Looking beyond Feis and further into the future, Laphroaig will be entering a new era. What form that will take, and who will be steering the good ship Laphroaig, remains to be seen.