Lagavulin 8 YO Limited Edition - 200th Anniversary

Lagavulin 8 YO Limited Edition - 200th Anniversary, 48 %

The Islay distillery Lagavulin celebrates its 200th Anniversary this year. This does of course call for some special bottlings. Usually such bottlings are both very limited in numbers and quite expensive. Not so with this one. The Lagavulin 8 YO Limited Edition - 200th Anniversary is actually surprisingly inexpensive, and it is still available to buy, months after it was released! 

You can pick up a bottle of the Lagavulin 8 YO Limited Edition - 200th Anniversary in Norway at NOK 550 (3877801), and online in the UK at around GBP 55.

Nose: Wow! Very smooth and well integrated. Does not come across as youthful and feisty at all!

Taste: Oh yeah, the more feisty youthfulness is definitely here on the palate. But it's all good. Lots of caramel, dried fruits, sweet wood smoke, and fruity ashes (?). On further sips I find it quite spicy; chilli powder (Ancho chilli) and white pepper.

Finish: Medium long finish. Dark chocolate is added to the mix, which is a nice addition. The caramel is slightly burnt now, and we get a little bit of the Lagavulin barbecue character. There is a hint of bacon and smoked sausages as well, and soft maritime notes. Actually, make that quite a lot of maritime notes - lots of salty sea spray, and  old ropes used for mooring fishing boats.

Comments: This makes me happy - it makes me smile. I am a sucker for young and feisty peated whiskies. I feel I'm back on Islay when I drink this, and that is a very good feeling.

Score (87/100)

Image from Master of Malt.

Sláinte! - Thomas