Lagavulin
The heavily peated single malt from the south of Islay, with the smoke and iodine the region is known for. Everything about the 16 and 8 Years, the flavor and the right glass to serve it in.
Peat smoke from a bay in the south of Islay
Lagavulin has stood since 1816 on the bay that gives it its name, on the south coast of Islay, the Scottish island known for its peated whisky. The barley is dried over burning peat, and that smoke seeps into the grain and gives the whisky its character: peat fire, seaweed, iodine and tar.
What also sets Lagavulin apart is its pace. The distillery uses exceptionally slow distillation and a long fermentation, producing a heavy, oily whisky that can stand up to many years in the cask. The 16 Years has been the house's benchmark for decades and was included in the Classic Malts, the six whiskies with which Diageo put single malt on the map in the 1980s.
At a glance
What types of Lagavulin are there?
The range is small by design: Lagavulin prefers to release a few bottles rather than a long series.
Lagavulin 16 Years
The house classic: sixteen years in oak and sherry casks. Dense peat smoke with seaweed, iodine, dried fruit, and a sweet, long finish.
Lagavulin 8 Years
Launched for the 200th anniversary and here to stay: younger, sharper, and fresher, with citrus and pepper alongside the smoke. At 48%, it's also much more direct.
Lagavulin Feis Ìle 15 Years
The special bottling for Feis Ìle, the annual whisky festival on Islay. Cask strength and limited edition; a bottle for collectors.
The 16 Years is the classic; the 8 Years is younger, bolder, and cheaper.
Peat smoke, iodine, and sweet sherry
Peat fire & seaweed
Dense peat smoke with seaweed, iodine, and tar, with sweet sherry and dried fruit behind it. Unmistakably Islay.
Full-bodied and oily
Full-bodied and almost oily, with smoke, salt, dried fruit, and a sweet core. The smoke is dominant but never harsh.
Very long and smoky
One of the longest finishes you’ll find in whisky: smoke, salt, and a hint of sweetness linger for minutes.
Flavor profile of Lagavulin 16 Years. The 8 Years is fresher and more citrusy, and scores higher on strength; the cask-strength Feis Ìle scores higher on both.
Three ways to drink Lagavulin
Peated whisky is best enjoyed neat or with a few drops of water. Ice closes off the aromas, which would be a shame with this whisky.
Neat at room temperature
4 cl in a tulip-shaped tasting glass. Let it sit for two minutes before smelling: the first impression is mostly smoke, followed by seaweed, dried fruit, and sweet sherry.
Glass: tasting glass →With a few drops of water
Add two to three drops of cool water, especially to the 8 Years at 48% or the cask-strength Feis Ìle. The water opens up the alcohol and reveals the sweet, fruity layers beneath the smoke.
Glass: tasting glass →As a Penicillin
50 ml blended whisky with lemon and honey-ginger syrup, shaken and strained, topped with a 10 ml float of Lagavulin. The smoke floats on top of the cocktail and hits you first with every sip.
Penicillin recipe →Cocktails with Lagavulin
A whisky this distinctive won't get lost in a cocktail: use it sparingly, as a float or as a small part of the base.
Penicillin
Whisky, lemon, honey, and ginger with a smoky float. Made for a whisky like this.
Smoky Old Fashioned
Whisky, sugar, and bitters over a large ice cube, with some peated whisky mixed in.
Smoky Sour
Whisky, lemon, sugar, and egg white. The smoke gives the sour a whole different character.
Hot Toddy
Whisky with hot water, honey, lemon, and cloves. Smoke and honey go surprisingly well together.The right glass for Lagavulin
A tulip-shaped tasting glass brings together the smoke and the sweet notes beneath it; a heavy tumbler is for anyone who still wants an ice cube. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you wanted to know about Lagavulin
Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →What is the alcohol percentage of Lagavulin?
Why does Lagavulin taste smoky?
What's the difference between Lagavulin 16 and 8 Years?
Can you put ice in Lagavulin?
Where is Lagavulin?
What goes well with Lagavulin?
Buy Lagavulin
Want the bottle delivered straight to your door? Order Lagavulin online from Gall & Gall.
Prices as of November 3, 2026, as reported by Gall & Gall. You can check the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; it costs you nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.
