Lagavulin 8 Years - Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Lagavulin

The complexity of whisky

Lagavulin, pronounced "La-ga-voolin" in Gaelic, translates to "the mill in the valley". The distillery is located south of Islay and sits comfortably between Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Lagavulin began distilling the same year as Bowmore, in 1816, although there are some records indicating illicit distillation of whiskey on the site, as early as 1742.

In 1862, it was purchased by John Logan Mackie. This gentleman was an assembler and also the uncle of Peter Mackie, the one who created the famous White Horse blend in 1890. In 1908, Mackie lost a lawsuit and was deprived of the possibility of using Laphroaig's whiskey. Following the incident, one of the legends of whiskey was born. Mackie then wanted to produce his own "Laphroaig", set up new stills on his site and even poached staff from Laphroaig. He called his whisky "Malt Mill", the same one Ken Loach talked about in his movie "The Angels' Share" (2012). This new whiskey was produced in very small quantities until 1962, but Mackie never managed to imitate Laphroaig. Malt Mill was later absorbed by Lagavulin and disappeared.

The whiskey produced by Lagavulin has many faces. The stills are filled to capacity, which reduces the amount of copper in contact with the alcohol, and the distillation is slow. These two factors contribute to create the versatile and assertive spirit of the distillery. Maturation takes place primarily in bourbon casks, with a few old sherry casks used to create the typical character of Lagavulin's older whiskies. When young, the whiskey is rough and raw, with a strong smoky, seaside aroma; but as it ages, it quickly gains in roundness and elegance. The 16 Year Old is a good example, and often cited as one of Islay's best whiskies.

Lagavulin closed its malting facility in 1974. It suffered the shock of the 1980's, when its stock of spirits decreased. Today, the distillery runs continuously in order to be able to supply its famous 16 year old, which moreover joined the Classic Malts range in 1989. A 12 year old version is created on a limited basis, but also a Distillers Edition version , which is intended for confirmed amateurs as long as its aromas are complex and particular. To celebrate its 200th anniversary, the distillery is producing an 8-year-old version, with a totally different beast as the rest of the line. Since 1997, Lagavulin belongs to the Diageo group.

Discover the Lagavulin whisky.