Lagavulin 18 Years Old (Feis Ile 2016)

This 18 Years Old marked Feis Ile 2016 for the distillery, the distillery's bicentenary year, a cask strength release of 6,000 bottles. Lagavulin, at Lagavulin Bay on Islay's south shore, was founded in 1816, exactly two centuries earlier.

The malt is heavily peated, the spirit drawn slowly off the stills. Matured in American and European oak, eighteen years deepen the smoke with sherried and vanilla notes.

Cask strength, 49.5%. Phenolic compounds drive the peat smoke, the European oak adding dried fruit, the American oak vanilla. Tasting notes take in chocolate, smoke, vanilla, honey, old wood and citrus. A bicentenary festival Lagavulin.