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Lagavulin
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Lagavulin
distillery
is
located on the south shore of Islay at Port Ellen and is a
direct neighbour to the Ardbeg and Laphroaig distilleries.
It
was founded by John Johnston in 1816 (just one year after
its two neighbours).
I
believe another distillery was built right alongside
Lagavulin a year later in 1817 by Archibald Campbell, which was
called Ardmore (yes, really). Anyway, in 1825 he took over
Ardmore and in 1835 closed it, leaving only Lagavulin running on
the site. |
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John
Graham
took over Lagavulin in 1852 and it was then passed into the
hands of James Logan Mackie & Co. in 1867. 1878 saw Peter Mackie
(nephew to James) join the distillery and when James died in
1889, Peter took over the running of Lagavulin.
In
1890 Peter founded White Horse blended whisky and then in
1908 he tried to get one over on Laphroaig by commissioning two
new stills which were supposedly exact replicas of those at
neighbouring Laphroaig distillery. He named this Malt Mill
distillery but this was finally dismantled in 1962.
DCL
took over Lagavulin in 1927, then transferred it to SMD in
1930 (DCL & SMD eventually becoming Diageo, the owners today)
and in 1962, when Malt Mill was finally dismantled, they fully
renovated Lagavulin. |
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OB Ages |
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General whisky characteristics: Peat, smoke, sea-air, smoked
kippers & fruit |
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Lagavulin,
8y,
48% ABV
Limited Edition for
200th Anniversary
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Extremely pale and watery
Nose:
Warming with suggestions of smoky bonfire embers,
cereal, a faint fruitiness and a mild fishiness.
Palate:
Now this is much more fruity than the nose with
hints of summer berries followed by smokiness and that (now)
very mild fishiness.
Finish: Long
with peat, smoke and cereal then more smokiness right at the
end.
Overall Impression:
Very good but yes it does have some definite
traits of a young whisky. |
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Lagavulin, 16y,
43% ABV
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass:
Spiegelau
Colour: Rich,
dark gold
Nose:
Very
heavy, I'm stuck in a peat bog on Islay right alongside the
Atlantic and steadily sinking whilst someone throws smoked
kippers (herring) at me and I only have an old leather strap to
fend them off.
Palate:
Extremely smooth and gently opening to very peaty embers which
warm the tongue in a quite sweet and almost fruity way.
With 4 drops of
water in 2cl: The nose remains much the same but the palate
has more immediate peat & smoke and the fruit comes much later.
Finish:
Medium to long, peaty, smoky and very warming. Longer with the 4
drops of water.
Overall Impression:
For
some reason I can't remember I never used to get along with
Lagavulin 16, but after an absence of some years this was a
pleasant surprise today and one which I shall explore further.
A real Winter warmer! |
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Lagavulin, 16y,
43% ABV
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich
golden amber
Nose:
Immediate wood with hints of traditional wax
furniture polish. This expands to a slightly toasted version
after 2-3 minutes, then hints of junior school plimsoles (gym
shoes). Overall very warm and soothing.
Palate:
Very creamy mouth-feel with faint wood and fruity
smoke. Always soothing and gentle. Do I detect a sherry
influence with some figs?
Finish:
Long
rich and smooth
Overall Impression:
Excellent! An extremely drinkable whisky. |
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Lagavulin, 16y,
43% ABV
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Sample thanks to
MMA 2016 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Oak with a faint tinge of orange.
Nose:
Mild peatiness alongside a rich fruitiness which
reminds me of black or red currants. There's also a freshness
which is almost menthol. In a previous review of the 16y I said
that the nose reminded me of plimsoles (school gym shoes) which
happened again here but only for a fleeting few seconds then the
aromas dispersed and left that freshness.
Palate:
Warming with a fruitiness that now suggests
raisins or maybe even figs. There's also a mild peatiness ever
present.
Finish:
Long with a gentle and faint hint of ginger.
Overall Impression:
Good whisky which is still superb value for
money. |
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Lagavulin,
25y,
51.7% ABV
Limited Edition for
200th Anniversary
Bottle 7969 of 8000
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Sample thanks to
MMA 2016 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Light amber
Nose:
Lots of sherry influence here with furniture
polish and dark fruitiness then wood and damp leafy grassiness.
Palate:
Smooth and creamy mouth-feel as it spreads across
the palate followed by a hint of (black) peppery brandy snap and
then the fruitiness of figs or prunes, maybe both?
Finish:
Long with that dark fruitiness.
Overall Impression:
For once a non-smoky Lagavulin which is probably
due to the lovely age but it's still a truly delightful dram.
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Lagavulin,
Limited
Edition 12y,
56.5% ABV
Bottled
2010, Natural Cask Strength
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Very
pale
Nose:
Atlantic coastal freshness, but becoming more
earthy with time in glass. A solid peatiness then gently unfolds
as the minutes pass, eventually becoming slightly antiseptic.
The peat then just keeps expanding.
Palate:
Warming peat, very warming. A very welcome and solid earthiness
with lots of depth. I'm almost imagining swimming in an Atlantic
peaty lido!
Finish:
Long,
warming and glowing
Overall Impression:
Excellent, truly excellent. In fact it was almost awarded 'Greatness',
but just not quite.
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Lagavulin,
Limited
Edition 12y,
54.4% ABV
Bottled
2014, Natural Cask Strength
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Sample thanks to
MMA 2016 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Very
pale, almost as watery as 8y bottling
Nose:
Very fresh with lots
of smoky fruitiness suggesting green apple & pear. Also a faint
fishiness reminding me of an Atlantic fishing port.
Palate:
Again
lots of smoky fruitiness but now it has a creamier and smoother
mouth-feel and is more like peach or papaya.
With 4 drops of
water: All the smokiness has now left the nose leaving it
fresh and fruity. The palate still has some smokiness but it's
much more intensely fruity.
Finish:
Long, fruity and mildly smoky but much more intensely fruity
with water.
Overall Impression:
To
water or not to water? This one is very good either way.
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Lagavulin, Distiller's Edition 1993,
43% ABV
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Rich
old oak, dark amber
Nose:
If
you could imagine an orchard in the middle of a peat bog right
on the Atlantic coast! Heavy peat with almost no (wood) smoke.
Hints of sea-air with an underlying fruitiness.
Palate:
Rich toasted fruit and peat in an almost perfect combination.
The fruit is almost summer fruit, as in apricot and peach with a
hint of citrus, but totally overwhelmed by that wonderfully rich
peat.
Finish: Long
with a warming ricness of flavour and right on the front of the
tongue.
Overall Impression:
I could really get used to this and become a fan!
Excellent.
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Lagavulin, Distiller's Edition 1993,
43% ABV
Distilled 1993,
bottled 2009
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Glowing amber
Nose:
An initial explosion of peat settles to find some
rich fruitiness and then opens further with glowing bonfire
embers on an Atlantic coastal beach. In fact this finally
settles to an Atlantic beach BBQ!
Palate:
There's definitely plenty of fruit including peach, watermelon
and raisins alongside the peaty beach bonfire.
Finish:
Long,
peaty and fruity but slightly thin.
Overall Impression:
Very
enjoyable. A thoroughly good whisky.
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Lagavulin,
Feis Ile 2014,
54.7% ABV
Distilled
31.1.1995, bottled 2014, bottle No.1645
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour:
Oak
Nose:
Fresh and fruity with suggestions of summer
berries alongside a mild smokiness and hints of freshly cut wood
or even damp sawdust.
Palate:
Initially a peppery tingle spreads across the palate followed by
a lovely fruitiness which suggests peach or perhaps even mango.
There's also a creaminess akin to custard or vanilla sauce.
Finish:
Long with a creamy fruitiness.
Overall Impression:
A
quite different Lagavulin but totally enjoyable.
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Independent Bottlers
(IB) |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Very
pale yellow
Nose:
This
is an initially subdued nose which requires some time to develop,
but after 5-10 minutes it produces aromatic peat, freshly cut
wood and a hint of rubber.
Palate:
There's lots of peat here, but too much alcohol burn and it
needs water.
With 4 drops of
water: Both wood and peat are intensified on nose and palate.
With 4 more
drops: Some lovely Atlantic maritime elements now join the
wood and peat.
A further 4
drops: allow liquorice to develop on the palate and into the
finish.
Finish: Long
and intense with liquorice after addition of water.
Overall Impression:
This is a whisky
which needs time, water and patience but when afforded these, it
rewards accordingly. A fine whisky.
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