With famed Islay distillery Lagavulin’s 200th anniversary around the corner, the distillery is poised to mark the occasion with the release of a limited edition 8 year Old single malt. The choice of an 8 year old might seem odd to some, given that the standard Lagavulin is twice that age, but it was selected specifically to honor the Victorian era’s most famous whisky writer, Alfred Barnard.
In the late 1880s, Alfred Barnard, the first ever whisky journalist and traveller, sampled an 8 Year Old Lagavulin during a visit to Islay, describing it as “exceptionally fine” and ‘held in high repute.’ He went on the declare Lagavulin to be “one of the most prominent” of the few Scotch Distillers that can turn our spirit for use as single [malt] whiskies.
Dr. Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Head of Whisky Outreach said: “This is a special year for a much loved single malt scotch whisky revered around the world as the definitive Islay whisky. There are a variety of plans across the year to bring people to Islay and bring Islay to as many people from around the globe as possible. We are thrilled to begin the celebrations for such an
historic occasion with the launch of the first Lagavulin 8 Year Old for many years.”
Georgie Crawford, distillery manager at the Lagavulin distillery adds: “Although many things have stayed the same since Alfred Barnard first came to see us on Islay, visitors to the distillerywill also notice some changes to mark this special year. We welcome you all to visit us and see for yourselves.”
The Lagavulin 8 Year Old will be available in the United States for $64.99 and € 60 in Europe, and is bottled at 48% abv.