Lagavulin 8 Year Old - 200th Anniversary Edition

After 3 individuals tasting a glass of a just opened bottle and all of them emptying it in the sink after one sip I wonder if I got a bad bottle or if this indeed could be an intended taste

20th December 2018

Lagavulin 8 is my go to dram. It has an amazing balance of peat, smoke and sweet citrus notes with pepper complimenting the finish. I love the 16 too but was easily converted to this one. Delicious.

15th October 2018

I love peat, and drink enough whiskey with phenol counts above 40 PPM that I can't taste smoke anymore. Instead I appreciate a beautiful briny sweetness, where once I tasted the smell that clothes have after a night sitting next to a bonfire. I try to avoid anything that's chill filtered. For my taste Lagavulin 8 year old is one of the best whiskeys I've had the pleasure of drinking. The sweet, spicy, briny peat. The incredible oiliness that reveals itself with the addition of ice as a thick layer of cloud suspended above a thin clear layer of water. The long complex aftertaste. Of the last 5 bottles of whiskey I've purchased, 3 have been this. While I'm very thankful it's been made a Lagavulin staple, I'm sure selling the first release of this as Limited Edition was a marketing tactic. Wouldn't it take 8 years to get more into the market in large volumes if the initial release was indeed only intended to be limited to a single year? For my money this stands up well against Ardbeg Uigeadail and Corryvreckan, and Larphroaig Quarter Cask. Lagavulin 16yo is good, but certainly not in the same league as the aforementioned drams, and certainly not in the same league as Lagavulin 8yo, proving yet again that age statement means nothing except a reason for distilleries to charge more. Extra time in the barrel definitely does not necessarily translate into better flavor. Do yourself a favour and try this dram, it's just simply delicious.

28th September 2018

I found this in a liquor shop in suburban Minneapolis of all places. This and the 12yo. I bought this, and my friend gifted me the other, so happy camper all right!

I found this remarkably similar to the Ardberg 10, in color, smell, and taste.

Initially the peat overpowers and the sweetness struggles to come through. But give it a splash of water and let it air and by the time you're halfway through the glass, you'll start getting a sweet, fruity hit. Salt at the tip of the toungue. The smoke is dusty, sooty...and the finish is enjoyable (touch of pepper?).
Brilliantly balanced and classic Islay style.

25th September 2018

It’s lighter in color and taste, not so smokey, but still very satisfying. I enjoy the 16 year at the end of the day while relaxing; this 8 year fits nicely with a good dinner.

2nd September 2018

A lot of folk seem to think that because it's very different to the 16 it's therefore bad. Whereas I bet if there was a number 24 on the label they'd be lauding it for the same reason. Tell you what, age statements really separate the posers from those who actually enjoy it.
Comments like "that's not a Lagavulin" serve only to illustrate the writer's ignorance. It is a Lagavulin, it's just not the 16. What would be the point in them releasing more of the same?

19th July 2018

That’s Not Lagavulin!

26th June 2018

Very disappointing. Muted nose. Bitter lingering aftertaste and finish is rough. They should be ashamed to call it a Lagavulin!

12th April 2018

Awesome ! My current favourite. Drink it while ya can.

6th February 2018

Not much else to say. It's Lagavulin. Impressed me even more with a younger dram. I expected it to be light, but I was surprised to find out it's as flavouful as it older counterpart, the 16 years old. Moreover, it's 48% abv, which adds up to its deliciousness. I strongly recommend it.

11th January 2018

Better than the 16 year old! Must try.

6th January 2018

The 8yo can be mixed in roughly equal parts with 16yo to create Complexity.
The 16yo lagavulin of 25 years ago didn't taste like band-aids and lack dimensions.
Laga 16yo from a quarter century ago used to have a much smokier complexity with citrusy floral notes in addition to peat. Nowadays the laga 16yo standard edition doesn't until you mix in the fresh 8yo to liven it up. The laga 12yo or distillers edition may exhibit more classic complexity, but haven't tasted them yet. At least the 8yo allows me to salvage the recent laga 16yo bottle.

22nd December 2017

If you like lake Laugavulin or Islay try a glass of this once. Probably my favorite scotch pity it’s limited edition.

13th November 2017

Brilliantly executed dram. Cannot reccommend this highly enough. I sure hope it will remain in the core range.

13th August 2017

Yes - agree with the many others here that say this is very fine. Beautiful smoke without too much char (unlike neighbour Caol Ila 12 yo which seems to me to be like sucking on coal), the favour has lots of complexity, but manages to be round and slightly buttery too, finishing with a sort of boiled sweets thing which is nicer than that sounds. Beats the 16 yo in my opinion, which very obviously lacks sparkle after this.

6th June 2017

This is exactly how Lagavulin 16 should be. No apparent added colour, bottled at 48% ABV. I'm so tired of the Lagavulin and Talisker of the world having top shelf branding with fake tan orange colouring added. Keep it real and raw like the 8yo.

This is a magnificent drop and given the above and its cheaper price it's my new daily dram. I've heard Lagavulin are keeping the 8yo as part of their core range once these 200th anniversary bottles are gone. I hope so, otherwise I'd better start stockpiling.

13th May 2017

Finally a bottling from Lagavulin other than the 16 year! This is epic for only 8 years old like an improved longrow super briny and peaty with some herbal notes as well.Glad I got a bottle of this. The Sugarbear

25th April 2017

Nose: Salty, briny, seaweeds, subtle ash and campfire smokiness.
Taste: Needs no water, but scotch mist comes if added. Dilutes and over tames if you do.
Salt, brine's, seaweeds, hints of Licorice, ripe raisins, bitter, burnt brown sugar.
Finish, warm, bit peppery, chili, smokey, dry, not long.
This 8 year old could be looked at as older. Possibly twice its age statement due to the complexity.
Would buy again.

14th April 2017

Simply excellent

4th April 2017

Never thought that would ever be my assessment of a Lagavulin, but yip, it's refreshing. It's still a peat lover's dream, and it has all the other Lagavulin attributes, but also a crisp freshness about it. Really enjoyable.

31st March 2017

At first I thought this might be on the dear side. But really enjoying every drop of this quality malt. True five stars in my opinion.

28th March 2017

I was quite surprised to find this at my local whisky shop. An 8yo Laga? Took the plunge and was very surprised. This is the poor man's 12yo cs. Really great whisky with all the flavour expected from the 12 just lower intensity. And I agree with the other reviewers, this doesn't taste that young at all. Highly recommended.

27th March 2017

Really doesn't taste like an 8yo at all. Very fruity, sublime smoke and forward spice. It's getting better the further the bottle goes down. Will surely get another.

25th March 2017

Light yet full of flavour. Has all the elements of the beloved 12yo just slightly lighter. A big surprise. Really loved this one.

24th March 2017

So I am a sure Islay fan, and a dedicated peat head. So sure I like this whisky. But there is more than just Islay peat here. The spice and sweet light oak notes make for a sublime Lagavulin experience.

22nd March 2017

I don't have all the vocabulary to write detailed tasting notes; enough to say this is the greatest 8yo whisky to have crossed my lips.

18th March 2017

Either way I agree with the previous reviewer. I got lucky and saw this on special at my local. I recommend this to all peat lovers and Islay fans. It's lemony, juicy, spicy and sweetly smokey. Oh so lovely.

16th March 2017

i just cannot stop drinking this!! it was a huge suprise, how much i enjoy this. it's been 2 weeks since i got the bottle and every night i need one dram. or more...

14th March 2017

I find the lack of sense and absurd comparisons to be just short of comical but completely out context. To compare a dram to its producers other age offerings is silly and sophomoric! To expect a dram to be the same to one that is 50%, twice, and 150% older is completely absurd. It is what it is, and should be judged on its own merit, not against a sister that is older in age as well as slept in a different bed. You are basically saying you like cars, but the new Ford doesn't come close to the new Ferrari in performance. If You want the characteristics of the 16y/o then buy the 16 y/o. If you want to explore other expressions, then do so with an open mind and palette. Some You will like, some you will not. Voice your thoughts objectively about the unique expression, good Or bad, but crying about its lack of similarity to others in the distilleries catalog has no merit .

11th March 2017

Great effort from Lagavulin on all the 2016 editions. I've tried the 12yo, the Distiller's Edition and now the 8yo. All of them outstanding. Clearly all stops were pulled for the 200 yr celebrations. Well done.

9th March 2017

This whisky really does the lagavulin name proud. Not the most complex whisky ever, but so beautifully focused on doing its job well. I sure hope one day lagavulin might bring the 16yo into the same fold. This is just beautiful.

7th March 2017

The tasting notes here has it spot-on. Mighty taste. Crisp, dry, a little sweet, and all that sweet smoke. Lovely.

4th March 2017

I'm a member of a whisky club in Taiwan and one our members introduced us to this whisky in the past week and I am totally sold. Never bought Lagavulin before because I prefer non colored whiskies. But his whisky was a revelation for me. Will absolutely buy more.

4th March 2017

Bought mine in Germany where coloring has to be declared, and this one is color free. Also non chill filtered. And with 96 proof this baby shines!! Bare bones Laga just the way it should be.

3rd March 2017

Was expecting a typical young whisky, but instead found a very delicate and sophisticated Islay malt. Love it.

3rd March 2017

No Colour. 48% ABV. Scotch mist forming when adding water??? Yeah! If any chill filtration was done it was limited. A real craft whisky from Diageo, finally. I love everything abut this whisky, the citrus, sweet smoke and texture on the palate just right up my alley. Well done.

3rd March 2017

This is a fantastic whisky. Once more people's love affair with the age statement let's them down. The "8" does not indicate the value of this whisky. The contents of the bottle does, and does so in great fashion. This is bare bones Lagavulin at its best. My first bottle went down very quickly and I already opened the second. Don't know if I will be able to save the third for the future. Better buy some more.

2nd March 2017

Lagavulin in high resolution! Perfectly focused. Perfectly balanced. Youthful crispness, without any harshness. Everything says Lagavulin, just better defined. Nothing muddled, nothing confusing. Deeply satisfying. The citrus, smoke, sweetness and brine meet at some ethereal junction between mouth, nose and mind. Absolutely sublime.

1st March 2017

Really great Lagavulin! I was a little hesitant to buy this based on the many negative reviews, but was very pleasantly surprised. A true Lagavulin showing its youth but also its class. A dry sweetness with classy smoke. The 48 ABV nicely helps proceedings along to a big palate and a strong finish. Definitely worth it.

28th February 2017

Gotta say, the 16 is my favorite. I was excited to try this and my expectations were realistic. The nose was OK. The taste was OK as well. Not great. No depth. A little harsh but what you'd expect in an 8 yr. The real problem was that it made me feel like crap and gave me a horrible hangover the next day. I wasn't sure if it was me or the scotch and tried it again with the same result. I've been drinking scotch my whole life and never had one that effected me this way. Not good.

24th February 2017

It is delightful, I was gifted a bottle after tasting it at a friends. I shall keep it for 18 years and enjoy even the more

23rd January 2017

To keep the review part somewhat short... ish, this is good, this is very good. It manages to offer everything Lagavulin's 16 year old offers, along with some actual strength behind the palate of smoke and medicine. I will add however (which is why I'm only giving it 4.5 stars) that it can be a bit too "raw" from time to time. Adding a bit of water fixes that, and shows what a Lagavulin could've been.

Now that brings me on to why I'm even typing any of this.

This bottling is 8 years old. 8 years, half of their regular bottling of 16 years. Once you add a few drops of water, this manages to offer more, and in a far more pleasant way, than the 16 year old standard bottling.
What the heck... I can't even... words!
This is what makes me wish Lagavulin would dare to offer more 'down to earth' bottlings, and offer directly from cask. A properly refined islay monster is hidden within, they're just too afraid to show it.

To which I say, unleash the beast!

14th January 2017

Absolutely awful, smelled like hospital cleanser.
Tasted like a combination of cheap cough medicine, TCP, Dettol and Corvonia.
Required me to clean teeth and use Listerine to kill aftertaste.
Don't know if this sample was tainted but if not, could not recommend it.

10th January 2017

smell gasolina

6th January 2017

Smells like kerosene, uncomfortably peaty on the palate and not at all enjoyable. Lag 16 has a very nice balance of peat and flavor. This is nowhere close. Don't waste your money like I did. 0 stars.

4th January 2017

It has all the Lagavulin quality, character, complexity and balance of the 16. Much bolder and peatier, without having the reek of newmake so common in NAS expressions. It doesn't open up as well as the 16 with water, strangely, but at 48ABV it drinks quite well neat. I really can't fault it. This is an excellent release from an excellent distillery and deserves a serious look. Don't understand all the negative reviews.

3rd December 2016

I take odds with all the negative reviews of this eight-year old beauty. Quit complaining about the price...it's a special limited release, so of course the price will higher than you might think it should be. Did I like the thought of paying the same for an 8yo as a 16yo? No, buy that's not the point. The whisky is what's important, and I think this is a very fine dram. Lagavulin 16yo is my go-to whisky, and I LOVE that the 8yo is completely different. Otherwise, what would be the point? It smells newer, fresher, more bold...kind of like new car smell compared to 10 year old car smell. It's young, yes, but bold and flavorful and has an array of flavors and nuances that I'd not expected to find in anything less than a 10yo. A friend of mine who's NOT a regular Scotch drinker tried some and thought it the best whisky he ever had. I an thoroughly enjoying my 8yo.

14th November 2016

I wasn't going to open my bottle but I did DISAPPOINTED!!! Weak!!!

29th October 2016

I thoroughly enjoy this bottle. Yes young, but well balanced and crisp. I am a regular 16 drinker and find this a fresh change. Much less sweet than 16. Like a torrontes to a port. I have opened and shared 2 bottles now and will very much look forward to when I may enjoy another.
Very refreshing, love it.

22nd October 2016

You are wrong. Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Kilchoman (not all), Laproaig (not all) and Ledaig all use malt from Port Ellen.

19th October 2016

Just got mine and love the taste.

19th October 2016

I love lagavulin, believe me. The 12, the 16 and the distillers edition are some of my favorite whiskies. Port Ellen is legendary and Lagavulin is the only distillery that uses the Port Ellen maltings... so the closest you can get to Port Ellen without spending thousands. So I can see why one would want to buy this bottle out of curiosity... and that is what I think they were thinking when releasing this. It is very poor. If it didn't have the Lagavulin label I would think this should be a $40 - $50 young offering from some lesser Islay distillery. It just does not belong to the Lagavulin line. Lost a lot of respect for them with this move. DONT waste your money out of curiosity with this one.

16th October 2016

The bottle i got has an awful aftertaste! Took my time with it but not even a little time to breathe could remove that after taste. Took the liberty of mailing the destilery, whom apparently doesn't give a rats ass about their customers, cause after 3 weeks there's still no reply! The nose is ok and that's it, I love the nose and the taste of the 16yo though.

5th October 2016

I just ordered a case. cause once it's gone I feel it will be gone. It will become one of those classic drams we will miss and end up paying an arm and a leg years from now for.

13th September 2016

My go to has always been the Lagavulin 16. This 8 year old is like a teenager ready to mature, however it is holding its own. I experience the most intense flavours from savouring a wee sip against my pallet, then release, inhale and swallow. At this point I have a warm euphoric feeling overcome my body and I must say a day without Lagavulin, is like a day without sunshine.

9th September 2016

I too love the 16 yo, but I don't compare the 8 year old to it. This is a wonderful whisky with a real peaty character, peppery taste and sweetness. It is a bit harsher when drank neat but that is because it is 48% and I add some water to soften it. I wish the 16 y0 was realeased at 48%. Talisker should also take note and release a reasonably priced 8 yo.

27th August 2016

Comparing a dram of each, I find little to recommend the 8yo over the 16yo. Nose on the 16 far superior. New make nose? Maybe too harsh, but not unreasonable. Color on 16yo is a rich amber; 8yo pale yellow. 8yo has a peppery finish unlike the long smooth finish of the 16yo. That said, the 16yo is among my favorites, barring only the 1997 and 1999 Distillers Editions.

15th July 2016

Superb! Scored a bottle of this while visiting Colorado for Father's Day. This lovely edition approaches the cask strength 12 year old that I have previously enjoyed. In my humble opinion, this surpasses our beloved 16 year old. Cheers from Montana!

19th June 2016

It's an eight-year-Statement of perfection!

6th June 2016

So, a few days has gone and I am trying my third glass of the new Lagavulin 8, it tastes better and better and tonight itś warm weather so a few degrees warmer Whiskey and WOW... I need to write a few lines to say that my first impression below needs to be revised... I am not sure why I did not like it at first. Maybe I was not aligned with my palette... The Whiskey tastes suddenly marvellous. Round, a bit young and wild but with great peat, smokey and strong pepperish, fruity afternotes...and did I meantion the smokey taste... :-) For me this was a new experience but for sure I either had to high expectations the first taste or I was not in a good mood to make a proper evaluation. I will for sure buy a second bottle before they are out of stock!

3rd June 2016

I am a big fan of peaty whiskey and. It was some years ago I had/tried the 16 year old, remember it to be wonderful. Bought the 8 today and am actually a bit disappointed...Smokey, young with a rather long taste...but a rather cheap taste of smoke, tar and pepper, not as I remember the 16. Maybe it will grow on me but It will not outplace the favourite spot where I keep my Ardbeg... That's my opinion and you might disagree but for me its more important what I think than anyone else... :-)

27th May 2016

First thing at nose: new make! Usch!

25th May 2016

there is no caramel added to this. it's practically clear. duh. but it is chill filtered; adding water creates no mist. I really like the 2015 12 CS but this 8 is not so good. A 16 is a better deal for the money. hang onto a few, stash them away, and then trade them later. Whiskies like this 8 are a dime a dozen. plus this one was obviously made in third and fourth refill casks. there is practically no oakiness. I see this offering as a gimmick to turn a quick buck, aside from the 48 percent ABV which is respectable

22nd May 2016

Very good. I must order another one.

20th May 2016

Haven't opened mine yet so don't know if the caramel spoils it.

6th April 2016

At 48% I doubt that it's chill-filtered. The 12 year old cask strength doesn't state that it's non chill filtered either but it is pretty obvious that it is non chill filtered.

1st April 2016

I have no problem with the age, but I do have a problem with the chill filtration. Sigh

1st April 2016

Just got my bottle last night and had two glasses. It's worth double the price. All the quality of the 16 just a little feisty and rounded fruit notes and that regular laga smoke.

31st March 2016

Whilst recognising this isn't a discussion forum I can't resist joining the discussion to agree with the "Why all the complaining?" poster, particularly what he or she says about NAS, and the buy or pass option.
For accuracy (I've OCD) it's not "...half the age, double the price...", it's half the age of the entry level standard OB (which makes it rare for an OB) and tantamount to the same price. Sounds OK to me. If you're an investor buy one and sit on it, it will appreciate. If you're a drammer that usually buys the 16 then buy one for the novelty and see what it's like.

30th March 2016

It's hard to understand those complaining about a release like this. Amongst a sea of pricey NAS releases, Diageo (perhaps the least likely to do so!) has the bottle to give us something with an age statement and at a fairly accessible price. Yes, it's still expensive, but wouldn't you rather have an age statement around £50 than the latest fancifully titled NAS release for double that (..often more)? I would understand if some of the disappointment was aimed at the low ABV, that aside this is an exciting release for a distillery that rarely breaks from its core offerings. As far as the price difference between this and the 16 goes, there's a reason this one says '1 per person' and the 16 doesn't. All the same, there is no right or wrong - your view is your view. Buy if you are intrigued, pass if you are not! Perhaps it would be best to hold off too strong an opinion until we've actually tried it though, it's all about the liquid in the bottle after all and according to early reports it's rather good!

26th March 2016

By the words of distillery manager this whisky suposesed to be £5 cheaper than 16yo. For the god sick, what happened? One word comes to my mind - greediness. Fact that is limited edition cant justify half age and higher price but still whisky many people want to try

26th March 2016

I agree with the fist two reviews half the age and double the price or the same price makes no sense even if its good ?

23rd March 2016

It's dearer than the sixteen year old. It is significantly stronger than the 16 but I still feel that an 8YO should cost less. Hype is pricing this product. Regretfully I wont be placing an order.

19th March 2016

Half the age and more expensive than the 16. Right then.

18th March 2016