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.
Imagine the folks at Lagavulin, after much heavy marketing with the help of a certain parks and recreation manager, arrived at the distillery one morning and realised they’d run out of 16yo. Obviously panicking they decided to open their 8yo early, mix 2 parts scotch, 1 part petrol, and a pack of pepper and then sold it in a white box, hoping that the name alone would create a placebo effect in it unfortunate drinkers.....that’s what this is! A young, bland but peppery scotch. You won’t know if the reason for not tasting anything is the fact there’s nothing to taste or if your taste buds have just dissolved. Not pleasant at all and I’ve got 2/3 of a bottle left, although I do need to clean those brushes....hmmm.
A fantastic whisky, out punches the 16 which tasted bland in comparison. I think it's youth and 48% abv really bring alot to the table. Perhaps not as balanced as the 16 but in my opinion the 16 is to weak and has way to hefty a price tag on it. I got my Lag 8 for 38 quid, at that price it's a phenomenal whisky. If you like strong heavily peated whisky then chances are you'll love this.
At first I was quite disappointed, expecting a similar whisky to the 200th anniversary edition, but let’s make one thing clear, they are not one and the same. This one is peppery, and it is the pepper note which makes it. I personally prefer it with no water, but if you want to add then go steady. Overall pretty decent stuff, I’m having a wee dram aye while writing this and it’s going down nicely. Slightly overpriced for what it is but what can ya do. I just want to end this by saying the anniversary edition was a beauty, and I’m sad it is no longer on the market, though that is the way of the whisky world sadly. Onwards and upwards!
Too peaty and smoky. Very rough taste. Tastes like JWRL gone sour.
More smoky than the 16 and still has a touch of sweetness. It doesn't have the complexity of flavours of the 16. It whacks you with a big smack of peat tae the pus and has a wee bit more going on. Watch out for reviewers who can't handle the peaty punch in the pus. They will give it a low score cos they got battered by this one.
