When over 120 different expressions of Lagavulin were on offer in our January 2020 auction, we thought it was the perfect time to start putting together a list of Lagavulin distillery bottlings.
Lagavulin distillery was founded in 1816 on the South coast of Islay at Lagavulin Bay, close to Dunyvaig Castle. Founder John Johnston took over a second distillery on the same site which was absorbed into Lagavulin in 1837.
The distillery was purchased by whisky blender John Logan Mackie in 1862, and his nephew, Peter J Mackie, would go on to become a prominent figure in the whisky trade in the late 19th century. In addition to running Lagavulin, he co-founded Craigellachie distillery and created the White Horse blend which was launched in 1890. The company changed its name to Mackie & Co. in the same year.
Following a dispute with neighbouring Laphroaig distillery (whose whisky used to supply Lagavulin’s blends), Mackie built Malt Mill distillery in 1908. With stills modelled on those found at Laphroaig, Malt Mill contributed to blends including Mackie’s Ancient Scotch and White Horse, but was never bottled as a single malt. Malt Mill closed in 1962 and its equipment was incorporated into Lagavulin. When Peter Mackie died in 1924, the company changed its name to White Horse Distillers. It became part of Distillers Company Limited in 1927.
In 1988, Lagavulin 16 Year Old was selected as Islay’s representative in the Classic Malts range. Although owner United Distillers thought the distillery’s heavily-peated character would deter the average whisky drinker, the malt became a runaway success.
From the early 2000s, a cask strength Lagavulin 12 Year Old has become a constant feature in Diageo’s annual Special Releases, and the Distillers Edition vintage series saw Lagavulin’s peat smoke tempered by Pedro Ximenez cask finishing.
Lagavulin distillery celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2016 by releasing an 8 Year Old expression as well as a limited number of its 25 Year Old to raise money for Islay charities.
Lagavulin White Horse
Lagavulin was licensed under White Horse Distillers Ltd. The name appeared on the label until it was removed following the loss of the White Horse Royal Warrant in 2000.
Lagavulin 12 Year Old White Horse (Clear Glass), Bottled 1970s, 43% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old White Horse (Clear Glass), Bottled Early 1980s, 43% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old White Horse (Green Glass), Bottled 1980s, 43% ABV
Lagavulin 15 Year Old White Horse Ceramic Decanter, Bottled 1980s, 45% ABV
Lagavulin 16 Year Old White Horse (Gold Lettering), Bottled Late 1980s – Early 1990s, 43% ABV
Lagavulin 16 Year Old White Horse (Embossed Lettering), Bottled Late 1990s, 43% ABV
Lagavulin Distillers Edition
First released in 1997, the whisky in the Lagavulin Distillers Edition underwent extra maturation in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and was made available in both 70cl and 100cl bottles, all of which were bottled at 43% ABV.
Lagavulin 1979 Distillers Edition, Bottled c.1997
Lagavulin 1980 Distillers Edition, Bottled c.1999
Lagavulin 1981 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2000
Lagavulin 1984 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2001
Lagavulin 1986 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2002
Lagavulin 1987 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2003
Lagavulin 1988 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2004
Lagavulin 1989 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2005
Lagavulin 1990 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2006
Lagavulin 1991 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2007
Lagavulin 1991 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2008
Lagavulin 1993 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2009
Lagavulin 1994 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2010
Lagavulin 1995 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2011
Lagavulin 1995 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2013
Lagavulin 1996 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2012
Lagavulin 1997 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2013
Lagavulin 1998 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2014
Lagavulin 1999 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2015
Lagavulin 2000 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2016
Lagavulin 2001 Distillers Edition, Bottled 2017
Lagavulin 12 Years Old Natural Cask Strength, Diageo Special Releases
The first bottling of Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength was launched as part of Diageo’s Special Releases in 2002. They continue to be released annually and the design remained virtually unchanged until 2019.
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2002 First Release, 58% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2002 Second Release, 57.8% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2003 Release, 57.8% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2004 Release, 58.2% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2005 Release, 57.7% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2006 Release, 57.5% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2007 Release, 56.4% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2008 Release, 56.4% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2009 Release, 57.9% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2010 Release, 56.5% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2011 Release, 57.5% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2012 Release, 56.1% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2013 Release, 55.1% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2014 Release, 54.4% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2015 Release, 56.8% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2016 Release, 200th Anniversary, 57.7% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2017 Release, 56.5% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2018 Release, 57.8% ABV
Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, 2019 Release, 56.5% ABV
Lagavulin, Diageo Special Releases
As well as the annual 12 Year Old cask strength bottling, there have been a number of older age statement bottlings of Lagavulin released as part of the Diageo Special Releases.
Lagavulin 25 Year Old, 2002 Release, 57.2% ABV 9000 bottles
Lagavulin 1976 30 Year Old, 2006 Release, 52.6% ABV 2340 bottles
Lagavulin 1985 21 Year Old, 2007 Release, 56.5% ABV 6642 bottles
Lagavulin 1991 21 Year Old, 2012 Release, 52% ABV 2772 bottles
Lagavulin 1976 37 Year Old, 2013 Release, 51% ABV 1868 bottles
Lagavulin Feis Ile
The annual Feis Ile festival on Islay began in the mid 1980s to revive the Gaelic language and culture. What was once a Gaelic dance festival has now developed into full-blown celebration of Islay culture and distilleries. The first release of Lagavulin’s Feis Ile Single Cask came in 2007. The final single cask was bottled in 2012, after which the Lagavulin Feis Ile release was bottled from a vatting of casks.
Lagavulin 1993, Bottled 2007, Cask 4893, 56.5% ABV 708 bottles
Lagavulin 1993, Bottled 2008, Cask 1403, 52.9% ABV 580 bottles
Lagavulin 1995, Bottled 2009, Cask 4456, 54.4% ABV 660 bottles
Lagavulin 1994, Bottled 2010, Cask 3210, 52.7% ABV 528 bottles
Lagavulin 1998, Bottled 2011, Cask 1715, 51% ABV 588 bottles
Lagavulin 1998, Bottled 2012, Cask 1716, 55.1% ABV
Lagavulin 1995, Bottled 2013, 51% ABV 3000 bottles
Lagavulin 1995, Bottled 2014, 54.7% ABV 3500 bottles
Lagavulin 1991, Bottled 2015, 59.9% ABV 3500 bottles
Lagavulin 18 Year Old, Bottled 2016, 200th Anniversary, 49.5% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin 16 Year Old, Bottled 2017, 56.1% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin 18 Year Old, Bottled 2018, 53.9% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin 19 Year Old, Bottled 2019, 53.8% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival
The annual Islay Jazz Festival is promoted by Jazz Scotland and the Islay Arts Association and is sponsored by Lagavulin. The first festival edition was released in 2011. The bottlings switched from single casks to vattings after 2012.
Lagavulin 1993, Bottled 2011, Cask 356, 55.4% ABV 576 bottles
Lagavulin 1997, Bottled 2012, Cask 1894, 54.5% ABV 624 bottles
Lagavulin 1995, Bottled 2013, 51.9% ABV 1500 bottles
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015, 55.4% ABV 3500 bottles
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2016, 200th Anniversary, 54.5% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2017, 57.6% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2018, 58.5% ABV 6000 bottles
Lagavulin 21 Year Old Islay Jazz Festival 2019, 50.9% ABV 2004 bottles
