Lagavulin 8 yo (bottled 2016), 48 %

Review #289

On the occasion of the 200 years anniversary of Lagavulin Distillery, they have released this anniversary bottle.  Sweet peat (a lot though) on the nose, almost Caol Ila sweetness. Young, fresh with malty notes that sneaks up on you. In the end some vanilla, marzipan and a touch of salty lemongrass. I can get a faint idea about how the new make spirit at Lagavulin is like.

A lovely arrival of heavy Islay peat hits the palate. It is soft, salty and quite citrusy in the end. Here it really becomes a Lagavulin! The peat just stays and some smoke joins the party. The citrusy notes stays very elegantly and keeps the whisky very fresh even though it is heavily peated.

This is colored with caramel, but still it is as pale as me on a winter day! The only reason why they would color it as I can see it, must be that it was clear as new make spirit before. A comment from Lagavulin about this would be great (like that is going to happen!!). A fine dram, at lovely they bottled it at 48 %. I will rate this 86/100 (22/22/21/21).