🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

Finally the 8 year jubilee bottling. I've always liked the '16, so this one almost has a bonus in the glass. However, the straw-yellow color lets me lower my expectations.

It's hard to say why it is so drinkable and also enjoyable but it's kind of light and easy - Slàinte!

I must commend Lagavulin for giving this 200th Anniversary bottling an honest age statement instead of opting for NAS! Fresh and vibrant notes of sea salt, smoked cheese and gentle, earthy peatiness greet the nose, followed by anise, sweet berries and traces of diesel oil. Tasting pure and entirely spirit-driven (8 years!), this single malt features a convincing simplicity: crisp apples, roasted peanuts and creamy honey are buried under a thick layer of dry ash. The lasting finish bids farewell with pickled ginger, salt sticks and a dash of sucrose. A true delight! RATING: 4.2/5.0 stars ≙ 89 pts → FIRST-CLASS [+]

Improves with time but a little boring profile wise for me

very well executed, and "cudos" for the age statement

[Notes from 04/16/2016] Pale straw Nose Vigorous smoke is the first thing that hits the nose here. Fruity notes that play in the direction of lemons and limes soon appear. There is also a hint of pineapple. Sea salt resonates in the background. The nose quickly gets used to the smoke and hides it. The salt note becomes stronger, but at the same time the fruit increases in intensity. A little lilac is added. Medical peat shows up. button At the start there is a strong peat note, interspersed with lemon peel. Sea salt, damp earth. Cliffs where the surf hits. Powerfully warming, it completely covers the mouth. A campfire still smoldering, strips of bacon. All "hard" flavors such as peat, campfire and bacon are enveloped by the clear lemon note, so that a fruity sweetness lies on the lips, which carries a salt note in the background. finish Peat and smoke remain in the mouth in the noticeably dry finish, while the lemony / lime fruit sweetness makes itself comfortable on the tip of the tongue. Comments One could complain about the fact that a distillery like Lagavulin apparently couldn't think of anything better than to market a single 8-year-old single malt - which, due to its "limitation", is sold more expensive than the 16 -Year standard bottling, which is provided with a story that wants to bridge the legendary A. Barnard, who visited the distillery and who described an 8-year bottling as extraordinary. But you can also enjoy the fact that the distillery delights its friends and fans with a bottling that is affordable for the masses and that also ages in times when old barrels are becoming scarcer. For just 8 years this is a very mature and balanced malt, which, although it cannot hide its youthful bite, it does not have to. You get what you can and should expect from an 8-year-old Lagavulin filled with 48%: stormy youth with adult accents.

Pleasant peat-bomb, surprisingly full flavor already for a relatively young whisky. Beautiful in balance, also room for some sweet fruity. Reasonably long finish, too, in which peat and smoke get a bit more upper and less space for other flavors. All in all a good whisky.

Very nice. It doesn't have the finesse and complexity of the 12YO though.

Found back my notes from a blind tasting competition in 2021, Tasted blind during the PO21!! this time I went blindly for a Port Charlotte... must be quite bad at recognizing Lagavulin blind...

17th BOL tasting of the Pilot Olympics. "Islay Peat ... or not?

Not very smoky, rather fruity-spicy notes. Looks very interesting, a spicy Lagavulin, where there is still a lot to discover. Quite different from the standard 16 years.

Slim but pleasant Lagavulin. Is it colored? Really? I can't see it. :)

Light golden color. Oily structure.

N- Unique animal fur smoke and zesty lemon up front with toasted plank and rock salt at the tail, amicably sandwiched the sweet notes of full vanilla butter and malt's wort in the middle, superbly well layered with fine body to go with it.  A wisp of rather modern (or deadly) caramel but well masked by the rich and complex bouquet.P- Heat of ginger extract, ashy smoke essence liquid, woody, inky with subtle sea notes. Well capped restrained sweetness, emphasize on boiled spices and may be a wee wood driven. F- Medium-long, dry, crisp and clean. Mesmerizing powerful spicy exhaust fume on retro-hale. No sluggish fruity sweetness to cheer the novice here, quite lovely. — at The Whisky Bar, Kuala Lumpur.

I find it quite good and suitable as a whisky that is accessible to everyone for the anniversary.

nothing i would buy again. boring.

New Kid on the Block I confess, when I first heard that Lagavulin would release an 8 years old whisky for their 200th Anniversary, I was quite sceptic. Especially with Lagavulin 16 being such a classic… and cheaper than this new kid on the block. 20% more expensive, but only 50% of the age? And to call a release of 30.000 bottles a limited edition? Anyway… the whisky had better be very good. And I was happy to find out that it is. The nose is soft and sweet and reminds me at first of sugar candy, marshmallow and almonds, but soon the Laga character emerges: smoke, tar and oysters. Celp. Smoldering wood. Finger paint. Ecoline. Vanilla keeps it sweeter than I secretly hoped. Iodine, but only half of what you find in the Lagavulin 16. Nevertheless, a beautiful nose. Aha! It is a whole different ballgame on the palate! Still a lovely sweetness, but the smoke and ashes top that easily and become quite big. It comes very close to the 16 now. The walnuts and seasalt come free of charge. Well, not exactly. It’s just a turn of phrase. The finish is quite long, with a drying effect. Hint of caramelized orange peel. Where did that come from? It may only have matured half the time of the 16, but luckily it is not only half as good. Au contraire. A big thank you to Imanuel, who presented me with this bottle.

on the one hand nice fresh spicy, rather light with nice cinnamon in the nose - on the other hand somehow thin. The sample is then enough for me too

I'm convinced. Lagavulin have come up with an absolute winner and a whisky worthy of celebrating their 200th anniversary.

An extremely smoky, harsh and bright whisky.

Not a fan of young Lagavulin per se (I find the smoke to be somewhat sickly-sour at an early age), but this is alright. Full frontal for sure, tarry and fresh with a strong smoked-peanut aroma. Improves mightily with some aeration. After it's opened up, boasts an impressive finish that combines ground coffee with freshly squeezed limes and sea salt.

Very strong, young salt bomb

Re-taste a year later. Same sample. If tasted blind I might have a hard time figuring out if it's Lagavulin or Ardbeg.

Beautiful, powerful smoker, sewing machine oil, peat, citrus, spices. Like the Classic of Islay. But a touch too young, but nice and tasty.

Reminds me of the first dram that you get at Iain's warehouse tasting @ Lagavulin.

Great Islay whisky. Smoky, (bit) dirty, greasy ... lovely !! He will be gone quickly ...

A malt with two faces. On the one hand a nice smoky note with interesting citrus aromas and nice spice. Unfortunately, mineral / metallic notes are noticeable due to the young age. Overall good but a little more maturing would have probably done well.

Spices and smoke in the first place, then fruits but not too pronounced, on the side of the apple with crushed seeds and orange peel in the background. Honey, pepper, vanilla and peat come "only" after. Final succinct.

A solid dram, with balanced peat and floreal notes. A bit of astringency maybe linked to relatively young age. My impression is that bourbon casks do not match completely with Lagavulin distillate.

Honest and simple Jubi whisky. Fresh but not biting smoke on the coast. Fresh lemon and some grassiness. Strong yeast and malt notes. Hardly any influence from the oak - therefore a very good impression of the Brennereicharakter. Like with its simplicity but that certain something (more oak) is missing.

After two tastings, I'm not easier in the evaluation. Had he got a smooth 70 points the first time, then it is the second time 86 points. On average, that would be 78 points, but I do not know if that will do it justice. I therefore award two bonus points, which bring him at least to smooth 80 points, because in principle I think the idea to bring a boy with honest age as anniversary bottling on the market, good! That's just a philosophy question. When I visited Islay last fall, of course, Iain MacArthur tasted the upcoming 200-year activities in Warehouse Tasting and thus the anniversary bottling. He talked about the discussions that took place, including with the management, what to bring to the jubilee on the market, and he himself favored a young bottling, which then really everyone could afford. I think it's great that he was able to assert himself there, even if the 1815 von Ardbeg quality and representative of course more hermacht. Hardly a fan will ever be able to try it, here all fans can celebrate. Addendum: With a few weeks distance tried again, and there he was again, the unpleasant finish. Even after half a bar of chocolate, the soap sticks tightly to the palate. I'm sorry, because I still like the concept, but I'm going back to the original rating. Pity!

Continuation of the blind tasting sixth of 24 drams. A reasonable dram probably from Islay (my guess) maybe Laphroaig! I guess it is quite young (8 years) and it has roughly 58% alcohol strengthFunny... First I had this dram in the glass but I had a better score the last time (87 points) and would have given 84 now and second I am a bit surprised of the low level of alcohol... I love this blind tasting :-) At least with Islay and the 8 years I was correct ;-)

Pleasant and cheerful bolt from Lagavulin, young and slightly angular, but very rich and deep enough for his age, in comparison with the 16-year-old, naturally, more straightforward and simple, lags far behind in complexity and complexity, in general, respectively, with age and characteristics , the only thing I can not understand - what the heck is it worth more?

Wet newspaper, ashy smoke, lemon with bacon, and the whole thing almost elegant - so you get a lot in the glass ...

Young and good.

Icy peat, quite rocky. A steep peak in the winter mist. Lemon liqueur, vanilla flower, rather harsh, not a gram of sweetness. Iodine whips the face. And at the same time it's fine, subtle, thin smoke, asphalt powder. Ashtray. Finally, a marshy side that is often found with this distillery. Palate a little young, rustic, on lychee. Crumbs of bread, cereals, slight acidity. Nice finish, like a little slap, chalky, woody, with that mineral flavor that comes back. Wheat germ. An original expression, very peaty and iodized, which has the advantage of power. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2022/04/lagavulin-8-yo-limited-edition-200th.html

Young, fresh, uncomplicated, a successful affordable jubilee bottling

Soft for its strength. An uncomplicated whisky with some interesting nuances. Most importantly, no matter how I searched, I did not find any traces of woodiness and tannins. 21 22 21 21

First impression: very bright, almost colorless!

This Lagavulin was a very nice surprise and completely different from the Lagavulins I had before.

A nice experiment for the anniversary. Of course, I would have preferred a 16-year-old with 48%... For a young age, this bottling - as usual with Lagavulin - is also surprisingly oily and ultimately I welcome any Lagavulin bottling that is bottled with more than the usual 43%.

Known Lagavulin smoke in the nose, banana, something of rubber in the taste of vanilla notes and a sweetness of banana Nice smoky, dry aftertaste Very mature for an 8 year old.

No comparison to the 16-year-old! This is dominated by smoke, citrus fruits and a lot of salt. I miss the mild sweetness and fruit of the 16-year-old, but the 8-year-old has that certain something. The freshness and the smoke harmonize well, only the extremely salty aroma disturbs me a little. Not a bad malt, whereby I prefer the 16 for the almost same price.

Aroma: instantly soft on the nose, with clean, fresh notes, combined with light hints of milk chocolate and lemon; After that, pleasant, tea-smelling smoke develops along the nose - dry, maritime aromas with fine cereals Taste: light texture on the palate, with a wonderful Lagavulin flavor that surpasses expectations; sweet, smoky and warm, with an increasingly smoky pungency, then dryness and more smoke Finish: great finish: pure, very long and smoky. A sophisticated, excellently processed Lagavulin special bottling with pure, smoky aromas and an impressive taste Notes of the distillery

The best was the nose, on the palate much weaker and the finish is disappointing. Because of the beautiful nose, there are still 85 points.

Simply. Pleasant. Easy drinking. Lots of malt and lemon. Little wood. But it's not really exciting.

It's exactly like you'd expect a young Lagavulin to be in every possible way, but it doesn't really have any exceptional traits and the bottling strength means it feels breezy and airy next to any stronger Lagas. I tasted this with Elements of Islay Lg5 (87), Lg6 (88) and 2016 official 12yo(89), and while this one held its ground well against the others, it did leave me thinking "marketing wants you to buy one more bottle of Lagavulin this year" rather than "something special to mark the distillery's 200th anniversary".

S 7 More vibrant and powerful as compared to the staple Lagavulin 16. The peat smoke is way more pronounced in this and it could be a relatively challenging entry if it’s someone’s first peated Islay scotch. It’s a decent Islay dram no doubt, but this reminds me more of other Islay distilleries than Lagavulin. 81-85 - Another dram welcomed

a fresh, young Laga that convinces me tastily and I can imagine well in the spring for barbecues with friends. The higher alcohol content and the associated stronger aromas compensate for my personal feeling the higher complexity of the 16 year old, therefore the same rating for both of me. Whether the limitation justifies that it costs more even though it is only half that age, everyone has to decide for themselves. For me he is a nice addition to 16 yo and 12 yo cask strength

I like it. Of course, does not have the complexity of the 16er or the DE, but is straightforward and easy, the Lagavulin character is clearly visible. The Lagavulin 'beer' can be found here again.

I like him quite well, so much in advance. But here is what I said last year about the respective Anniversary bottlings of the other two 'Golden Mile distilleries' Ardbeg and Laphroaig. For the anniversary IMHO may actually be something more. Eye / nose: optically very bright, almost clear. Somewhere between bright white wine and vodka. In the nose The malt itself is a typical young Laga in terms of taste. Maritime impression. Slight pepperiness in the nose, some honey sweetness ... Palate: first impression - a very pleasant consistency. Sofar a little oily. Then he shows his youth and wildness. Despite the drinking strength I feel it on the tongue but a bit sprittig, Not bad but not really inspiring. Fruit. Reminiscent of apple compote. The usual Laga smoke and a little honey form the frame. Finish / Conclusion: Here the Laga finally reaches its limits. The reverberation seems - for a Laga - quite thin and rather short. Light spiciness, a little bit of lemon and of course the inevitable smoke remain without having a lasting effect. All in all, no bad malt, no real mishaps. For my taste but also nothing special. Add some alcohol, halving the maturity and price a bit higher. Beautiful formula and from the point of view of the distillery, absolutely understandable. But from the point of view of the customer, the better is well known as the enemy of the good. Would I buy more? For about 50, - EUR you can buy it in isolation, there is nothing. I will not buy it anyway. Why? I really like the 12 Cask Strengths and especially the very complex, classic Laga 16. Also, I would prefer some of the drinking or barrel-strong UA Lagas like Còmhlan 1 and the Dun Naomhaig Water Batches from Reifferscheids. Now the 12er CS are much more expensive, okay. But the UAs that I have in mind and especially the good old 16er Laga, they are not.

.

The Lagavulin 8 years old is a limited edition Lagavulin of 20000 bottles. Specially bottled in honor of the 200-year jubilee of the distillery in 2016. The reason for an 8-year-old bottling dates back to 1880. Then one of the best-known and highly regarded whisky journalists of that time decided to visit the island of Islay and decided on the spot. to sample an 8-year-old Lagavulin. The best man was so impressed that he described the single malt as "exceptionally fine" and confirmed the high reputation that Lagavulin already had at the time. We now find a copy of this. Matured in refill bourbon cask and bottled at 48%.

young and feisty. salt and smoke! malt sweetness and citrus also there. for this age a quite nice dram!

Strongly smoky, metallic, cowshed, slightly sweet, vanilla. In my opinion, neither the type of barrel (pure ex-bourbon) nor the age in which Lagavulin can shine.

I think he's done quite well. A young, smoky from Islay Island. Of course, he can not be compared with the 16-year-old, but half the age does not necessarily mean half as well. Young I associate with this 8-year-old more with fresh, lively and impulsive - 11.02.2017

http://kaypingers-whiskyblog.de/frontend/fullarticle.php?id=205 Color: Chardonnay Nose: Oh, Kilchoman in the glass? Green aromas, grapefruit, lime, salt and pepper and not a little bit. Honey, peaty smoke and hints of vanilla (creme brulee) and aromas of freshly peeled green apples develop in the glass. Taste: Creamy, quite thick and powerfully salty-sweet. Vanilla with lots of fruity lime and peat, dry leather, seaweed, iodine, marine dew and some eucalyptus. Finish: Medium length - with green aromas throughout and lots of vanilla! Smoke, peat, wet coal, sweet lime again here in the finish. Always getting drier but without any wood. Sweet peat and lime remain on the tongue. Remark: Overall good - for a 8yo a really successful bottling which in retrospect puts out a 15yo Laphroaig loosely. 88 points N: 88P / G: 89P / F: 88P

perhaps you need the right moment for these young peaters. this time it was much, much better than I had remembered it, up 3 points 89/100

Tasting from March 7, 2017: A little jerky, young whisky, but not without cuteness. Slightly begged in the aroma, then noticeably better. Ps: it is interesting that I tasted it another time, the assessment is the same, and in the nuances of completely opposite impressions.

A well made young Lagavulin (hurray for the age statement) from refill casks. It is a enjoyable dram and very recognisable as a Lagavulin, but lacks the extra depth of the 16 or the special releases. Priced under 60 euros it is now a reasonable deal after the recent price hikes for the 16 and 12 cask strength (the special releases).

Dry smoke, vanilla, lemon, apples. Good nose, great palate, short finish. Young and powerful, nicely balanced.

Balance (21.5) blind tasting. very pure whisky, as for this age (85)

Nose: soft with beautiful notes of bacon, memories of the sea with some salt, seaweed and even some iodine salt, with white pepper, then the fruit is better with some orange and lemon, alcohol is well integrated Taste: soft, sweet and fruity, sometimes the orange is much clearer than in the nose, then comes the peat / smoke with campfire notes and some salt, plus some pepper and cloves Finish: short to medium, slightly sweetish smoke with bacon and caramel and vanilla, then some pepper and a very subtle oak note, getting dry Conclusion: delicious, very good drinkable, for the age a very high complexity, even if he can not completely hide his youthfulness ... 5 years more and that would be a top painter. Definitely no water required - 86 points

the taste and finish does not do justice to the nose, sadly, it’s just a young peated whisky

Very interesting whisky, 87 points

Now butter with the fish ... LAGAVULIN 8! ANTICIPATION: Granted, the starting point is quite sobering for the 200-year-old from Lagavulin. 8 years and a color reminiscent of white wine (colored or not, we'll never really experience it). And then the price for which some would have expected an 18-year-olds. But that should be right on time for the Feis Ile 2016 with an output of 6000 false and 125 pounds on the shelves of the still. The 8-year-old is different. Accurate numbers are not known here overall, but he is limited and probably he will disappear again, why, more on that later. That he now has 8 years and does not come as a NAS therefore, may have something to do with the background story, which was the marketing just right. It may also have to do with Diaego's "age matters" philosophy, if it is still current. However, in terms of transparency, Diaego is credited with having renounced NAS. NOSE: Warehouse Tasting in the yard of Lagavulin. Pinkie shakes the whisky in his decanter and the smell of young Lagavulin is sprayed into the air. An unmistakable Brennereichcharakter, which otherwise you may enjoy in this intensity only in the raw fire or at younger bassy Tastingrunden. Sweet smoke, the butter-soft and creamy slowly up the nose. The first impressions are immediately followed by some kelp with hints of hay. He does not hit you in the face in a different way than you would expect for his age, but he has a rather minty and citrusy note, which is constantly penetrated by the sweet smoke. Bacon and salt and combination with a clearer smoke (smoked trout) occur when the malt has been in the glass for a long time. The vanilla is relatively far in the background. This is mainly due to the barrel selection speculate. First fill ex-bourbon should be somewhat more intense (also with Lagavulin) as far as the vanilla flavor is concerned. Sherry is not visible to me, at most a teaspoon to 20,000 bottles. The fact that American and European refill oak barrels were used here speaks in particular of the soft combination in which the malt flows into the mouth and suppresses the alcohol in the nose. PALATE: Oily onset, which is relatively round. Teen yes, spritly no! Smoky, greasy and slightly smoked trout, maritime and salty, as the nose has already anticipated. A little more grass and honey join in, if you dilute the 48% a bit. Overall, however, the addition of water is more of a hindrance. Again, the vanilla can not prevail against the smoke. The refill oak barrels have given away the intense vanilla for a long time. But I would not miss her on this malt now. Somewhat dry it sounds like on the tongue, but then comes again the smoke and the sweetness (no sweetness of the sherry, the sweetness of the ashtray!). FINISH: The smoke is well above anything. In addition, which is typical of young Lagavulinabfüllungen, an ash note, which looks partially sweet. I'm reminded that someone wrote something about peanuts. However, for me, it's rather the peanut shells that are left over. CONCLUSION: Butter at the fish. A piece of butter in salted water and some smoked trout. That's the Lagavulin 8 for me. A warehouse tasting in the yard of Lagavulin, that's the Lagavulin 8 for me. A comparable Malt with the 16-year-olds, that's not the Lagavulin 8! Of course, it is legitimate and not altogether wrong to compare two malts of a still. However, it is actually apples and pears here. The 16-year-old is a pleasing malt, who is more intended for the broad mass of smoke lovers among the whisky drinkers. That's not the Lagavulin 8. The Lagavulin 8 is for the Lagavulin lovers, who has already tasted 15 DEs and also various 12-year-olds of this distillery. Of course, a 25-year-old would also set a counterpoint, but for this price in these times is probably no longer to be expected. Therefore, in my opinion, Lagavulin 8 can only be seen as what it is, a gift to lovers of this bottling, which places the character of the distillery far in the foreground. The 48% may interfere with something. 51% would have been the number one choice. But in the end I'm glad that so many bottles were bottled by such a direct malt. The sample just whispered to me, "Open the wrong guy!" In that sense, open the bottle and enjoy a piece of Islay.

This is awesome pure and precise Lagavulin with a good dose of salt, yellow fruits and peppermint on top. Proof that excellent spirit doesn't need wood and loge ageing to come up with something special

Good but below the Laga 16 and 12 85 + / 86 -

Nope. I simply don’t like this one. I find that there are too many off notes of the spirit still in there, which gives it an unfinished feel to it. Simply not my kind of whisky. (But still, it is not a bad dram, just not as good as I am used to with Lagavulin)

Conclusion: 87/100 points - "nice summer dram". The Lagavulin 8 is a surprising 200th anniversary edition of mine, but follows the current trend of bringing younger whiskys (besides NAS) to the market - of course, the old ones are running low and a 20+ Lagavulin would be far too expensive to be sold in bulk. Overall, the Lagavulin 8 is a honest and summery whisky. Uncomplicated, refreshing and fruity at the same time. Whether the price of 50 € + is justified, everyone has to decide for themselves, then you get the very good 16-year-old ... Personally, I like both, because the 8er but shows other characteristics. Link to my blog with photos: http://www.tasting-notes.de/Archive/460

Aroma: A sharp, smoky, smoky appearance will replace sweetened peat in the second wave. The aroma is sharp but slightly thin and water-diluted. (83 b) Taste: Fortunately, the taste is more interesting. At first, a peat, a sweet drizzle, but then a damp smoke from the smokehouse will get a dent. Citrus, green apple, sweet gummy. Dense flavor saves the overall impression. (86 b) Points: 85 Summary: This is not bad whisky by itself, but ... from a distillery like Lagavulin, I would expect something more bombastic when it's the limit for the two-year anniversary. And for eight years, it can be done to make excellent whiskys. Especially when German distillers are able to produce better and they only need 3 years. So for me a total disappointment.

Ok, I am officially in love. This malt pushes all the right buttons: it's clean and crisp, basically the essence of what Lagavulin's distillate in capable of. Closing my eyes I feel taken back to my 2014 warehouse tour. The 8 has much in common with Laga's new make - and that's a really good thing! Compared to the 16 it's less complex, naturally less woody, less balanced but at the same time more fruity, more honest and a lot sexier, if you ask me. Maybe see the 16 as an elaborate, well-mannered and likewise -situated white collar worker, whereas the 8 is an honest, down-to-earth, hard-working blue collar craftsman with a bunch of tricks up his sleeves. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but in this instance I say the 8 is just more exiting, complex and peaty enough yet easy to sip throughout the evening where the intensity of the 16 demands your attention a few times too often to fully relax. 8 = nice evening with friends, 16 = theatre visit I sure love my Lagas with oak influence and the additional PX finish, but this here lays the foundation - and a bloody good one it is!

Tastes okay for me but would always prefer the 16er ...

The colour is light gold. The nose is peaty and straight: creosote, oak, grass, salt and white fruits notes. The palate starts with strong peat note with good dryness and notes of white fruits, salt and oak. The finish is long, peaty, salty, dry and spicy with vanilla and white fruits notes. Lagavulin 8YO is a good balanced, young and peaty whisky, but it’s too straight for me. And I gave only 85 points.

Interesting malt.

It's great that you can better understand the development of Lagavulin 16 with this bottling. Fresh, young and really delicious.

A faily complex young Lagavuling with excellent price tag and transparency that should be admired in the times of NAS whisky. +1 point for that.

This whisky was balanced, tasty and quite complex for its age. I really liked the gentle peat profile on this and the wide range of smoky notes on it. Reviewed in my blog: https://iwriteaboutstuffilike.com/2016/05/21/lagavulin-8/

Good, I haven't tried the 16yo in a long time but this seems decidedly more delicate to me. Soon after I tried the Ardbeg 5yo for comparison and found the latter to be better.

affordable price with nice smokey nose and taste, pretty fine 48%abv. medium finish with oyster and seasalt.

Light, clear distillate

Nose: Peat, Citrus fruit. Earthy. Feels young, but very balanced. Softer on the nose than I had expected of a young peater. Quite Fresh. Taste: Salty and Sour. Clean Peat, a Little Ash. Citrus Fruits. A bit of Oak, with some Vanilla and Bitterness. Again Soft and Balanced. Finish: Smooth but Long Finish. With Peat, a little Ash and some Peppers. Very Balanced and Clean. Not as Feisty as I expected.

Must commend Lagavulin for finally releasing a whisky at a higher strength and close to natural colour. Overall it is definitely worth a try if you are a Lagavulin fan. Value (£45) : 6/10

After having the pleasure and privilege of doing the Lagavulin warehouse tasting tour again last week (worth making the trip to Islay for on its own!), I was simply hoping that this would come close to the quality of any of the drams I got to try in the depths of the hallowed warehouse. And I was not disappointed! This is a 'true' Lagavulin. Young, yes, but not immature, and showing all the trademark signatures of the Laga spirit I so love. The crystal-clean peat that dominates the nose is very reminiscent of the recent 12yo OB, but needed a drop of water to release the additional sweet and sharp (citrus) fruits. A touch of something oily and slightly metallic (in a good way) steals in too, with the salty sea air keeping things wonderfully fresh and alive. Very close to the 12yo profile then, but perhaps even more 'clean' and straight to the point. Great stuff! The palate carries on where the nose left off, but here it diverges slightly more from the 12yo profile in that the edginess of youth is more in evidence (again, not necessarily a bad thing as it brings a unique profile and experience), and with less fruity sweetness. A drop of water released some more fruits and also brought forward the sooty peat, which leads into a long, salty and smoky finish. Sea salt lingers on the tongue long after you've finished the dram. Great stuff. Younger profile than the 12yo, but clearly based on the same top-quality spirit. Fairly-priced too. If given the choice of the 12yo (2015 release I scored at 91), or this with £30 left in my pocket, I'd struggle to make a decision! Either way, this is a dram that everyone who loves Lagavulin should try.

Have already tasted a few vintages from the 12-year-old, all of which I taste great, especially the 2015er. The 8-year-old Lagavulin does not reach the complexity of the 12 CS, but I find the price-performance ratio better here. An excellent whisky, especially for lovers of young, wild smokers. Smoky, leathery, fruity, dry. Clear and pure, 100% Lagavulin. I personally like him better than the 16 Lagavulin or the DE, my favorite remains the 12er. Nice that tastes are different!

A young upstart from Lagavulin. Peated smoky with green apple, herbal, citrusy medicinal notes bbq ham, honey caramels and spirited youthfulness. Quite fruity fresh and sharp crisp notes. A tasty young Lagavulin for me is no less great than its older 16 yo brother.

A lament for Lagavulin, which was a lost, long-gone distillery as far as I see it. No more profound sweetness and indescribable complexity, but more pungent, acidic whisky.

Lagavulin 8 year old SMSW 48%, 30ml sample Nov 2022. Can't believe I hadn't had it before. Very pale yellow with the almost green hue you get from pale whiskies. Clearly natural then! Aroma is milky, creamy, varnished wood, white chocolate biscuits. Body is lightly oily. Taste is soft on impact, a bit flat even, but becoming expansively smoky on the finish. Lightly briney throughout. Okay but a little flat. Not too much going on although the finish is pleasant. Not a bad Lagavulin. Certainly doesn’t taste young or immature but it’s just quite basic. A whisky that is best enjoyed as an accompaniment to reading, relaxing or some other activity rather than being the main event. 3.475/83

More on: https://tomtrinkt.blog/

A young Bourbon-cask based Laga as you might have acquaintance from some independant bottlers which were not allowed to name the distillery. Now in this case you know that you have a young Laga. That´s the good point, this way you might be able to identify  an independant young bottling more easily as Laga or not. The quality is as solid as it is expectable from Lagavulin, but I´d prefer the 16yo or the DE. But nice and revealing experience.

A delicious version of the classic 8-year-old. Worth a bit more than the standard, but absolutely not some of the prices you see now.

Yes, the whisky divorces at this Laga. Nothing with sherry or other ripening A thoroughly honest malt, with a great Brennereicharakter. I think he's very good

This has "textbook" Lagavulin profile from bourbon casks, as far as i´m concerned. Great malt and all the respect for it having an age statement.

Nose: it's young. Peaty and vegetable peat of course, lemon, but also lactic notes (pear yogurt). Plastic and cereal smoke. Palate: the attack is sweet and sweet, then comes a wave of peat, a lot of ash, lemon, and a very clear bitterness, evoking the gentian. The whole remains relatively round. Final: long and bitter, deep on the ashes. Conclusion: honest for 8 years, the 48% bringing the necessary density in the mouth. In the spirit of 12yo in less powerful and simpler. In another register, but less expensive, I prefer him this good old 16yo ...

Reminds me very strongly of a Finlaggan CS added with some water Confirmed in my opinion that is in this young Lagavulin. The 8yo is a bit more complex, if only a little bit more. For 40 € the bottle would be fine in my opinion. But since we have a special edition in front of us, the price of 50-55 € is okay.

Yeah really like this one, but 50 euro (and sometimes 60) for an 8 year old is not cheap but I think I would prefer this one above the 16 because it is more peaty and not colored. The 8 and 12 are the best Laga's if money is not an issue. The 16 is the best value for money.

Unmistakably Lagavulin, but worlds away from the 12 year old. Ok it's another abv , age and price. A young fresh spring dram without wood influence.

Very fine. BUT it does taste Young. Not rough, but young in a rather pleasent way. Reminds of some Kilchomans and Port Askaig Cask Strength. It is to my liking, but I'm not blown away by it. Respect for the 8 yo age statement. I'm wondering if this really is a suitable 200 years anniversary bottling from this great distillery. I'm not sure. But it is a bold move.

In the smell of good, but tastier thinner and thinner than I imagined. I expected more, this is also with regard to the price of disappointment

Mossy,medicinal,sooty,love it!

Hmm tough nut! Somehow cool, but so flat compared to the 16 that it's difficult for me to rate it.

My review can be found here: https://themaltdesk.blogspot.dk/2016/07/lagavulin-8yo-200th-anniversary.html

F: white wine N: sweet, smoked banana / jelly banana G: low alcohol, fruit parade, smoke - but not intrusive, sweet A: long, sweet, smoke, some alcohol + H2O: becomes rounder, more intense fruits

Nose: Vanilla with Kokusraspleln, neat Lagerfeuerrauch and Alkohlmenthol, quite one-dimensional Taste: strong onset with sweet vanilla then strong peat smoke flavors Departure is medium and smoldering

Coastal peat, smoky, vanilla. berries, pear, chili oil, quite spiritual, some bandages, sweet coal? Less peat and smoke but sweeter than expected. Very Lagavulin, and love its finish, balance saltiness and sweetness.

Excellent for what it is, more powerfull and vibrant than the common 16 y.o. but surely less complicated than the 12 y.o. c\s. Certainly worths a try and a place on your self. A quality 8 y.o bottling

A nice traffic jam, at a very good price. Thank you Laga for not having fallen into the fashion of the NAS doped with the barrel of port / wine and to propose to us constantly whiskys of quality!

Despite the young age an excellent Lagavulin !!!

Not very impressive I 'm afraid. Bit of an everyday whisky, not much depth, bitter finish. To my opinion too expensive if compared to the 16 yo expression, which I prefer.

I was very happy about the whisky sample. The Lagavulin is very young and sparkling with a lot of smoke and only a little complex. A young 16 year old :-) I like the 16er and the 12er honestly much better. The color of the whisky is more reminiscent of white wine and on the bottle stands with Zuckercouleur ..... ;-) I still have the 12er 200Jahre Edition in the screed ...

Delicate aroma with notes of sea spray, minerality and peat, honey shades, flower pollen, a little citrus. Bright in taste, citrus, smoky shades, notes of fire, minerals, salt. Spicy long aftertaste with nuances of fruits, spices and a peaty trail.

Very flat and bland Lagavulin expression. No depth, not that good at all. I rather stick with the 16yo or one of the superb 12yo CS releases from the last couple of years.

A small 12 CS?

Blind sample for the trial Olympics 2022 Smell: smoke, butter, lime, vanilla, salt. Taste: marzipan, peach, mango, peat, smoke, not very heavy. A bit watery even. Finish: Doesn't linger too long, especially the smoke and ashtray, vanilla, marzipan first and then smoke and ashtray.

Straw yellow whisky with controlled peat in the nose. That subtlety continues in the mouth; good balance of wood, fire and smoke with some tutti frutti and citrus, soft pepper and long, dry finish. Very good, young whisky can be quite complex, as this proves beautifully.

I was also restless. Laga 8, uih. And? It's a nice allday peated, miles away from the peculiarity of Standard 16. And the same costs. I'm drinking it with friends now .... you should do that as well. 2900 bottles in collection. What a hype. Fall in yourself.

Very light on the nose with banana, vanilla and the typical Laga smoke. Similar to the 9 year old GoT bottling, but even lighter, less intense and full. Very soft, creamy-sweet and somewhat ashy in the mouth. Unfortunately slightly watery after a while. Chocolate-spicy and slightly ashy finish. Behind it light sweetness. Overall much less complex and thinner than the 9 Series. Length: 6/10 Uncomplicated malt, which seems very interchangeable, inferior to the 9er in all respects. Grade: 2

It is obviously clear that this 8-year-old places quality and gustantly above 16 years old and classic and 16 year old Distillers Edition. If it were necessary to sound a subjective note, it would be a 88.

83 Light makes it lemony and light, very easy to drink

sample. I wouldn't want to drink it every day, but it's a nice experience.

so far my whisky of the year. a real belter despite its young age.

This Lagavulin 8 years has undeniable qualities. The aromas are precise, the profile is complex, and the length in the mouth is more than reasonable. At 80 € in France, the price / quality ratio is average. I greatly prefer his brother 8 years older, available for a lower price.

It is good, just not really my thing

Blind sample. Well integrated peat with the flavour profile and also with the ABV. Lovely dram with a great harmony of flavours.

This Lagavulin is nicely made, smoky, clean and rather complex for its age, but it remains young and bitter. I prefer the older versions, that have more depth

white wine. Sufficiently strong, simple nose with lots of smoke giving rubber and tar, a bit of vanilla, wood and a hint of lime. The palette also gives a lot of smoke, it is now sweeter than in the nose. Also a little bit of unripe fruit and citrus. Simple and short aftertaste of smoke. A 'basic' Lagavullin with the typical rubbery smoke without much extra. Little wood sharpness and no grain sharpness.

Color – soft light. The aroma is interesting, sherry, then iodine appears. Taste – nice peat, sweetness, charcoal at the end. Balanced, pleasant, just right for its age and price.

Departs from the traditional lagavulin but is therefore perhaps also a welcome change, especially for this price

This is clearly heartier and better than the contamporary OB 16. I like it alot.

Good value, straight forward and all-in-all, this is just a really good peated whisky. If one compares it to the 16 yo, this is less elegant and more... Strong, bigger? Honest?

This 8 year old is a look behind the scenes and brings the distillery character of Lagavulin to the fore. They definitely succeeded, because the smoke and fruitiness of the Lagavulin spirit dominate here. Apart from that, there is unfortunately little to discover with this malt. It's definitely interesting to try. Everyone has to answer the question of whether he is preferable to the 16-year-old for regular enjoyment. https://www.aboutwhisky.de/tastingnotes/lagavulin-8-years-200-anniversary/

Tasted for the second time, and this time compared with the 10 yo, the 12 yo 2011, the 12 yo 2014, the 12 yo 2019 and the 20 yo Feis Ile 2020. The review is rather influenced by this comparison, it is clearly the youngest of the lot and the difference is definitely noticeable. I especially find an acidic or acetic side evident which I associate with many young Islay whiskies, it could be an acrid side combined with a young distillate. Persistent smoke especially on the palate and in the finish, right alcohol content, perhaps a little light in the body, which in any case is quite creamy. Leaving it a little time in the glass is not bad, it is easy to drink. The DNA of Lagavulin is there, judging by the others too, but it is certainly the one with the least character and, in the dark, I don't know how many could guess the distillery. He's not a champion, maybe in 2046 he could be excellent

Gherkin in brine plus some ash. On the palate, the ash is more pronounced. Flawless spirit at perfect drinking strength, but pretty brutal. The current 16 yo tastes bland after you've had this. Bold selection for Lagavulin's 200th anniversary.

The good price for a Lagavulin - for how long?

Nose: malty,peache,brine,smoke,iodine,white pepper,caramel, lemon,green apple,alcohol,rubber,licorice,pear,hay Taste: banana,vanilla,ash,smoke,black pepper,iodine,tar, green apple,malty,licorice,gin Finish: Dry with a medium to strong Alcohol note Overall: A solid young smoker from Lagavulin.The Price is a bit steep for an 8 year old though.

More first fill cask in this composition would make a huge difference!

Cafe de Toeter on 5 November 2017 with André

Didnt' meet a bad Lagavulin yet, and this one got a fair price tag. Classic bonfire smoke, Bourbon Cask sweetness, bit peppery. Compared to the 9-year old GoT Lagavulin he got a better body and feels fuller.

young smoker - unspectacular, little depth, weak barrels - absolute average. You could also say: it's an honest malt. 83P

Lagavulin 8, I hold you responsible and I thank you. Without you, those who have always refused to pay the price to claim the right to sip on a 12-year-old dram would never have been able to understand what the real taste of Lagavulin is. Without you, they would have persisted in buying the 16 year old for its beautiful caramel color and its harmless titration. At just 8 years old, you allow yourself to follow this elder who overshadows so many others. This whisky adored by all to whom I owe my passion for scotch. You are certainly not as refined but your flavors of mezcal and the carefree attitude of your young age play in your favor.

This Lagavulin is only half the age of the standard 16-year-old. Accordingly, this is less complex and stormy, which reinforces the 48% Vol. The taste in my mouth is a lot of smoke, a lot of salt and a citrus note, which brings a little bitterness, hang. Tasty, but the 16er I prefer ...

Young and restless, ashes, ashes....

Citrus and smoke on the nose. Oily and breeze (not exactly minty) on the palate, with a lot of barbecue smoke in the background. Also hints of fresh lemon. Finish is impatiently short and prominent since this is a young dram. Nice and pleasant overall, especially taking into account the price

Expected more, bang average whisky not in the same league as the 16 in my opinion. Lacks body and depth of flavour which has been compensated for with higher abv. Very forgettable dram

Unmistakably lagavulin and certainly not bad for 8 years. Not much depth in the taste. Just too expensive to buy a whole bottle of it.

Colour: Light Straw Body: Light/Medium Nose: Very light for a Lagavulin, very bright too. Fruit, lime, lemon, oil, pineapple, lime juice. Taste: Light, some fruit, lime, building oily smoke, soot and lime. Finish: Medium length. Lime zest and olive oil.

It's going between the 86-87 points for me. Good nose, twee and finish. Strength is good. In comparisson with the 12yo this one is more on ashes and smoke with a sweet touch, while the 12yo is much more fruity, and more powerfull because of the higher strength. I like the 12yo more but for the price this is not a bad buy.

Lagavulin 8 yo (200 yr anniversary) Tasted 2016-06 @ Tobi: N floral reserved g Wood, strong, spicy, campfire with wet wood 80

Just 1 point behind its 8 year older big brother. Where I smell wood and honey in big brother, I smell citric in little brother. This is special edition. Smoke is walking with ofcourse. This gaved nice little kick also, not too hard. I love this soup!

Class whisky. Even at a young age complex and wonderful to drink. There are rumors that it will not stay with the limited anniversary edition, but could become a new standard bottling. If you like the quality, like. Only then please settle priced under the 16er.

It's no fun sniffing this whisky. And it's no fun to drink.

Sample nr. 1 Proefolympics

Creamy, soft and for the age a very mature whisky!

Surprisingly complex peated whisky, as it has a young appearance. In the end very peated but with gentle notes.

Much more naked than the 16 year old...  Smoke, brine, a hint of sour vinegar, rubber, and a dash of cream soda.  Nice, ashy finish.  Cousins, perhaps, with the Ardbeg 10?  Good whisky, even if it isn't exactly my preferred style (I like this distillate better after it's been subdued for an additional 8 years).  I can enjoy these young peat-bazookas from time to time, but I would usually rather have a subtler, less coastal smoke.  Love the pale color and the higher strength.  Reasonably priced, I guess, but the 16 is only $8 more here.

An extremely good single malt, the aroma rising from the aroma glass put a smile on my face even before tasting it. That probably says it all.