Lagavulin 8 Years Old
It’s been well over a year since I first started posting reviews here at MeadeMule. I’ve reviewed over 50 unique bottles of whisky, from popular single malts like Macallan and Laphroaig, to lesser known whiskies like Auchroisk. Yet in that time, I’ve failed to review a single expression from one of the most well-known single malt distilleries in the world—Lagavulin. Well, time to change that, starting today with Lagavulin 8 Years Old.
Lagavulin needs no introduction. If you are a fan of single malt whisky, especially single malts on the smokier side, you’ve almost certainly had a taste of Lagavulin at some point in time. The distillery celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2016, and as part of the celebration, Diageo (owners of Lagavulin) released an 8 year old expression bottled at 48% ABV (a welcome improvement from the standard 43% ABV found in the 16 year old and Distillers Edition expressions). Though young, the 8 year old has proved popular enough that Diageo recently decided to make it a permanent part of the Lagavulin lineup.
This is the first of a three part series of Lagavulin reviews I’ll be posting this week. Next I’ll look at the extremely popular 16 year old, followed by the 12 year old cask strength special release from 2017. But first, the 8 year old.
Lagavulin 8 Review
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Region: Islay
ABV: 48%
Nose
Peat smoke. Brine. Tar. Rubber. Phenolic. Motor oil. Smoked meats. Orchard fruits, especially pears.
Palate
Plenty of peat smoke and the often accompanying Islay peat notes of tar, bonfire, and smoked meats. Minerals and sea shells, reminiscent of a nice Muscadet (or even perhaps a Gose, without the sour notes). Seaweed and seawater. Stone fruits. Candied pears and apples. Cigar leaf. Leather. Toffee.
The mouthfeel is a bit oily, but somewhat thin.
Finish
Peat smoke. Cinnamon. Apple sauce. Candied bacon. Medium in length.
Overall
Lagavulin 8 Years Old is a classic and clean Islay dram, which means it’s dirty as hell and all the better for it. There’s not necessarily a whole lot of complexity to it, but there is a whole lot of Islay.
If you like your peat young and in your face, this is certainly not a bad choice. It’s not quite as heavily peated as some other young Islay malts, but there is enough peat to satisfy. The light fruits and salty mineral notes add a bit of depth to complement the fiery peat.
SCORE: 86/100
Final Thoughts
It’s hard not to compare this young Lagavulin to some of the expressions from its neighbors, Ardbeg and Laphroaig. I’ve reviewed a number of expressions from both of the other distilleries on Islay’s south shore, including offerings that are less expensive and that I like better (as reflected in my scores). Which leads me to want to dismiss this Lagavulin as overpriced and not worth my time, yet I’ve bought several bottles now and find myself reaching for it fairly often. Yes, Ardbeg and Laphroaig both produce single malts that are a better value (and arguably better quality), but there is something just a little different about this Lagavulin that makes me want to keep it in supply at home. In particular, it’s the mineral and salty sea shell notes on the palate that make it stand out a bit for me. I do occasionally find those types of notes in other Islay drams, but usually not quite as pronounced as it is here.
This is not the first choice bottle of Islay whisky I’d recommend, but it is a bottle I recommend if you’re an Islay whisky lover wanting something a little different.
Buy Again? Yes, although it is not an especially great value malt. Ardbeg 10 or Laphroaig Quarter Cask are comparable Islay single malts available at about $15-20 less than Lagavulin 8.
Drink This Not That: Drink this if you’re a fan of heavily-peated whisky and are looking for a change of pace from Ardbeg or Laphroaig (and don’t mind paying a little extra). Or if you are a fan of Lagavulin’s 16 year old expression, try this for a different side of the distillery.
Questions about my scoring system? Refer to the Review Method & Scoring Scale page.
For more reviews, check out the Whisky Review Archive.
