Lagavulin 8 Year Old

I love Islay whisky, but this just tastes of smoke and pepper and little else. It's not a patch on the 16 year old, or on Ardbeg 10yo, which is quite a bit cheaper. You could pick up a bottle of Uigeadail for the same price, or Laphroaig Cask Strength 10 a bit more, both of which are truly excellent Islays.

I enjoy the smoke, but it gets a bit boring when there's not a lot else going on. Disappointing.

4th March 2023

One for the true Islay enthusiast. Completely different to Lagavulin 16, thank goodness!

Diageo very much have their finger on the quality with this release. 👍🏻

15th February 2023

I was once told by someone who knew more about Scotch than I ever will: If I like the strong, peaty whiskies, buy them in the 6 to 8 year range. Before they mellow.
Lagavulin 8 Year Old ticks all the boxes. Strong peatiness without being harsh, and an ABV that gives it a mild burn.

9th February 2023

Had a couple of bottle of original 16 yr old & they were superb. Tried this 8 yr old & it is no comparison. Not really nice. Much better Islay at a much lower cost.

26th January 2023

Just opened a bottle for my birthday, been wanting to try an Islay dram for awhile now and I have not been disappointed. The nose was so pleasant and the aftertaste was not bad. I will enjoy this one on the dark nights. Don’t really have the experience to be giving out a rating but I liked it so a 4 it is.

11th January 2023

First off, you have to know what you are getting yourself into with a young Islay. It will be a different experience, but it is a welcome change from an older vintage. This is similar to another young, peated-malt I have that is bottled at 55%. The 48% ABV on this dram works very well for the younger vintage: enhances the flavor, but surprisingly without the burn. The nose is remarkable - butter cream and vanilla. The pepper and smoke is definitely there, but subtle. Some citrus and berry fruit on the finish. The straw color is a visualization of how light and fresh this dram is.
For those struggling with the less-conventional experience this offers, stick with the 16 (or keep drinking Highland). For those looking for a nice departure from the smoky, salty Lagavulin we all love, give this dram a try.

19th December 2022

Not as rounded and loving as the 16 but a great peated whisky. If you don’t like peat, smoke and spice do not buy.

28th September 2022

Love it. Think the negative comments are from people who just do not like heavy smoky Scotch

13th September 2022

I’ve just recently entered the world of whisky drinking and lashed out on the Lagavulin 8 year old drop. Wish I hadn’t. I opened the bottle and my eyes started watering. Smelled like a combo of battery acid, cat urine and draino. Letting it breathe for an hour did nothing to improve the smell. When I got the courage to taste it, I questioned my sanity. Might use it to clean mould. What a shame.

But will still try the 16 year old which is supposed to be amazing.

6th September 2022

This was on my list to try since I'm a peat headed Islay lover. This is quite expensive for a 8 year old (at least in Finland its not much cheaper than the 16) and there is no reason for it. It's very peppery and salty. Not picking much else. The finish isn't very long. This is by now means a bad whisky but people saying this is up there with ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig QC are out of their minds.... For lesser price this would be excellent value but it's too pricey. I'll take Ardbeg Wee Beastie over this.

11th August 2022