After the wonderful reception that the Lagavulin 8 Year Old 200th Anniversary Edition received when it was released in 2016, the Islay-based distillers decided to add this delicious expression to their permanent core range! As Alfred Barnard (author of The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom) said of an 8 year old Lagavulin in the 1880s, this stuff is "exceptionally fine".
If you feel like broadening your horizons and experiencing Lagavulin as you never have before, then we heavily recommend The Lagavulin Hot Chocolate. We know that this may not appeal to some, but honestly you really should give it a try because it's absolutely gorgeous. You can find a recipe for it right here.
Salted popcorn, honey-roasted nuts, tarry ropes and light hints of freshly-chopped cedar. A touch of burnt sugar sweetness lingers.
Smokey peat appears first on the palate, followed by coriander seed, barley sugar, cumin powder, smoked kipper and marzipan.
Layers of apple crumble, toasted almond and ash. Another kick of cooking spices right at the end.
IMHO a fantastic dram, not as good as the 12 yr cask strength, but good luck affording that one. Pour it at least 30 minutes before you drink it - you will thank me later for that advice. Not nearly as smooth as the 16 - but what do you expect from a whisky that isn’t bottled at a sad 43% and chill filtered…this is half the price, half the age, and twice the flavour of the 16.
I was given this as a birthday present and was really looking forward to it. It was awful. I gave it a number of tries, thinking i must be wrong, but it did not improve. It tastes like raw alcohol with a faint trace of whiskey. I cannot abide even a taste of it now. I will have to tip it away. I've never done that before to a whiskey.
This 8-y-o from Lagavulin is, unsurprisingly given the provenance, pricey for its age stamp. However, you do get a huge bang for your buck as there's enough abv to allow a spot of water if desired. I can't better the tasting notes from the MoM guys - it's all there, just take your time - it's a dram to linger over. Is the 16yo £20 better? For me, no, but: 'yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance.'
On first sampling I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish the bottle: it is so in your face compared to the 16. I was blown away by the power of the flavours. But it is like jumping into ice cold water: the first time is overwhelming, the second time is still shocking but you are braced for it. It's fantastic: powerful but with so much going on and flavours I have not detected in the 16, such as apple tart and custard. Just don't try to mix it with a different dram at the same sitting.
Quite a good whisky, touch of peat but not too much, very smooth, tried with and without water added, perhaps benefits from a little drop! An easy whisky to drink.
