Lagavulin 200th Anniversary Limited Edition 25 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

As part of their 200th anniversary celebrations, Lagavulin have followed the Limited Edition 8 Year Old Whisky with the first 25 year old Lagavulin since 2002’s “Special Release Series” bottling. This time it is an exclusively Sherry matured, cask strength (51.7% ABV) effort, paying tribute to Lagavulin’s distillery managers from foundation to now. Only 8,000 bottles have been released worldwide.

Each is adorned with the names of every distillery manager and the dates of their tenure, beginning with founders John Johnston and Archibald Campbell. Current distillery manager, Georgie Crawford, encapsulates the pride built on 200 years of history, “For two centuries, Lagavulin has been crafted through the hands of hard working Islay residents; from peat cutters to warehousemen; the characters that make Lagavulin what it is today share a passion for producing an award winning Islay dram, and I am proud to say that I am part of this passionate group of people.” Dr. Nick Morgan (Diageo’s Head of Whisky Outreach) adds “The 25 Year Old is a sublime expression of Lagavulin, I couldn’t think of a better way to pay homage to the distillery managers”

Tasting note: Deep brassy gold. Drier styled opening scents of smouldering eucalypt / damp camp fire coals and struck match. Second pass finds underlying sweetness with hints of orange cake, cocoa and oatmeal biscuit. Five minutes air contact adds pickled ginger, dried kelp and tea-leaf like notes followed by smoked meat and brine. An intense cascading attack ; semi-sweet peat saturated malt, pepper and cigar box; crescendoes with a slow motion explosion of menthol and creamy, sooty malt. Ends dry, super fine and medium long with delicate vanilla, smoked ham and lanolin in the aftertaste. Not in your face - rather elegant and layered. Memorable. 51.7% Alc./Vol.

Notes from the distillery: In brief: Rich, intense and complex; deeper, less racy and more rounded than younger expressions, while just as drying. This mature Lagavulin shows a full range of smoke blackened, meaty and peaty notes that are wonderfully offset by balancing ripe fruits, mintiness and sweet cereals.