Lagavulin 8 Year Old is a single malt whisky from the island of Islay, Scotland. The distillery bottled it for the first time on its 200th anniversary, in 2016. For this cuvée, Georgie Crawford, the distillery's master distiller, wanted to pay tribute to Alfred Barnard. This historian and journalist had been lucky enough to taste an 8-year-old Lagavulin at the beginning of the 20th century, and had fond memories of it. It's the style of that whisky that Lagavulin has tried to recreate here.
This "young" Lagavulin benefits from a much shorter maturation period than the rest of the range, enabling it to retain a very peaty character, while retaining its characteristic elegance. A must for fans of the genre...
Nico's tasting notes
The nose is immediately swept away by intoxicating yet mellow peat, like an oily, thick, gourmand smoke. In the middle of this smoke is a lighter distillate, garnished with red fruits, pears and green bananas.
With aeration, the smoke takes on a greyer, ashen quality. It becomes drier and more mineral, without the whisky losing any of its deliciousness. In fact, the oak releases a few hints of vanilla, providing a pleasant balance.
On the palate, there's an indulgent concentration of ripe fruit wrapped in peat smoke. Pear, apple, banana and a hint of lychee join malted barley in a soft, full-bodied mid-palate.
The finish is smoky and ashy, with roasted rosemary and some resinous tannins.
"A fine expression of peaty, gourmet whisky..."
