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Laphroaig launches whisky campaign with actor Willem Dafoe
By Shivani Dubey | 23 September 2025 | Culture, Food & Drink
Luxury whisky brand Laphroaig has teamed up with four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe to release a short film and a whisky collaboration
Willem Dafoe is an actor who has never shied away from making bold choices. Whether it is through the many characters he has played on screen to the collaborations and partnerships he aligns himself with, the Oscar nominee knows a thing or two about standing apart. Now, Willem Dafoe has joined forces with Laphroaig in a partnership that is all about making unconventional choices.
The first of its kind in the distillery’s history, the collaboration debuts with a short film titled ‘The Taste’, a global advertising campaign – and tease of a limited-edition whisky created in collaboration with Dafoe – all celebrating those who think differently and embrace a boldness of character.
The partnership marks the latest instalment in the brand’s Unphorgettable campaign, which launched in 2024 to celebrate the flavour of this whisky. In the short film, Willem Dafoe in on a quest to define Laphroaig’s taste – something he can’t quite put his finger on – revealing a cinematic exploration and a celebration of the actor’s inimitable character.
The film draws inspiration from unusual components in Dafoe’s life and his thirst for immersing himself to get a taste of experiences. The opening scene tells the story of Dafoe remaining inside a wardrobe for two days as a child, to try and experience flying into space after watching astronauts going to the moon. It is here that he tries to find the words to describe the single malt, as well as recites humorous descriptions submitted by some of the whisky’s biggest fans, who are friends of Laphroaig.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the film, Dafoe recalls his trips to Scotland as a child, and how they evoked a sense of familiarity, similar to what we see in the film.
“The first time I ever travelled overseas, I went to Scotland. I was a kid, and the first thing I thought when my feet touched down on the ground was, something feels familiar here. I feel at home,” he says. “The land spoke to me, and it must be genetic because my grandmother was from Glasgow. ‘The Taste’ depicts that sort of familiarity that’s found when exploring Laphroaig. It’s the flavours and how they come together.”
Sarah Dowling, Laphroaig’s senior whisky maker, partnered closely with Dafoe on the film, and even worked with him on a limited edition whisky collaboration which is set to release in 2026.
“When we tried to imagine Laphroaig as a human being, we immediately thought of Willem Dafoe. He is the very embodiment of our bold and distinctive spirit,” says Sarah. “It has been beyond exciting for me and the team to be a part of ‘The Taste’, and to get inside the hidden corners of Willem’s brilliant mind.”
“I wasn’t expecting there to be so many synergies between his approach to craft and character as an actor, to my own as a whisky maker. I can’t wait for the world to see what we have been creating together,” she added.
To celebrate the global launch of the campaign, Laphroaig and Dafoe have partnered with The Barley Mow pub in Mayfair, London, which has been renamed as The Barley Dafoe between 22 and 25 September, which will allow guests to sample a new cocktail inspired by the partnership.
Images: John Phillips/Getty Images and Laphroaig