One of a trio of heavily-peated southern Islay malts, alongside Ardbeg and Laphroaig, Lagavulin was officially founded in 1816 by John Johnston (although illicit distillation is said to have been carried out on the site since the mid-18th centrury). Shortly after it opened, a distillery named Ardmore was opened close by, though this became part of Lagavulin a few decades later.
The history
at Lagavulin is closely tied up with nearby Larphoaig, and for a time both distilleries were run together. Until an unpleasant series of court cases in the 20th century. Whisky relationships on the island are far more cordial today!
Lagavulin is almost exclusively matured in ex-bourbon casks, and typically aged for 16 years. There are almost no independent bottlings that feature Lagavulin whisky - currently as much as 98% of the spirit is earmarked for maturation as a single malt, and the distillery does not produce blends. Lagavulin was one of the six whiskies chosen by Diageo as ‘Classic Malts of Scotland’ (along with Cragganmore, Dalwhinne, Glenkinchie, Oban and Talisker) when it was launched in 1988, and that only increased the demand.
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