Welcome to the B&B Speakeasy Spirit of the Month!
Our selection for February 2010 is Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky!
[imga=left]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/19719/full[/imga]This month we finally visit the third of the operational Southern Islay coast distilleries - Lagavulin. Situated near the ruins of Dunyveg Castle, distilling carried out between numerous small competitors at the Lagavulin site as early as 1742, however the "official" consolidated history dates the distillery back to 1816. Lagavulin combined operations with the Kildalton distillery nextdoor in 1837, operating as one under the Lagavulin name since that time. Lagavulin has been the base for several popular whisky blends, most notably the White Horse. At a time when few distilleries sold their spirits unblended as single malts, Lagavulin did so and was popular throughout the UK.
It's history is also somewhat intertwined with the nearby Laphroig distillery. Perhaps the most notable owner of Lagavulin, Sir Peter Mackie opened "Malt Mill" on the site in 1908 ostensibly in effort to produce a whisky truer to old-fashioned production techniques, using only peat. In reality, this came out of a quarrel between the two distilleries, coming after Laphroaig backing out of a distribution agreement with Lagavulin and Mackie's building a dam to cut off their water in response. The court ordered the dam removed, so Mackie built Malt Mill, using his knowledge of Laphroaig's facilities and processes to replicate their stills almost exactly. Malt Mill eventually ceased production and the stills were moved to the main Lagavulin facility shortly thereafter; those eventually being replaced as well and now on display in the visitors' center.
[imga=right]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/19718/full[/imga]Lagavulin currently sources it malt from nearby Port Ellen, water from the two Solan lochs, and distills the slowest of all Islays in 4 distinctively broad-necked stills. The flagship expression is the 16 year, bottled at 43% -- a distinctively Islay malt, yet rounder and sweeter than many. Some say the Lagavulin 16 is overrated, but it's personally one of my favorites and I'd contend there's a reason so many rate it highly. The iodine puts some off, but I think it's the soft, balanced dram some of the "peat-punch" Islays can only aspire to be. A fifth usually sells for $60-75 depending on your location, and although it's slightly more expensive than many of the malts we've profiled, I offer it my highest recommendation.
Hope you guys are still enjoying the SotM -- your participation makes it worth picking another spirit every month, so let's keep this one going all through February! Use this thread to talk about Lagavulin, your favorite late-winter drinks, meal and cigar pairings, or anything else! Then take a moment to browse our past Spirits of the Month, archived here on the B&B Wiki!
Cheers!
Our selection for February 2010 is Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky!
[imga=left]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/19719/full[/imga]This month we finally visit the third of the operational Southern Islay coast distilleries - Lagavulin. Situated near the ruins of Dunyveg Castle, distilling carried out between numerous small competitors at the Lagavulin site as early as 1742, however the "official" consolidated history dates the distillery back to 1816. Lagavulin combined operations with the Kildalton distillery nextdoor in 1837, operating as one under the Lagavulin name since that time. Lagavulin has been the base for several popular whisky blends, most notably the White Horse. At a time when few distilleries sold their spirits unblended as single malts, Lagavulin did so and was popular throughout the UK.
It's history is also somewhat intertwined with the nearby Laphroig distillery. Perhaps the most notable owner of Lagavulin, Sir Peter Mackie opened "Malt Mill" on the site in 1908 ostensibly in effort to produce a whisky truer to old-fashioned production techniques, using only peat. In reality, this came out of a quarrel between the two distilleries, coming after Laphroaig backing out of a distribution agreement with Lagavulin and Mackie's building a dam to cut off their water in response. The court ordered the dam removed, so Mackie built Malt Mill, using his knowledge of Laphroaig's facilities and processes to replicate their stills almost exactly. Malt Mill eventually ceased production and the stills were moved to the main Lagavulin facility shortly thereafter; those eventually being replaced as well and now on display in the visitors' center.
[imga=right]http://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/media/19718/full[/imga]Lagavulin currently sources it malt from nearby Port Ellen, water from the two Solan lochs, and distills the slowest of all Islays in 4 distinctively broad-necked stills. The flagship expression is the 16 year, bottled at 43% -- a distinctively Islay malt, yet rounder and sweeter than many. Some say the Lagavulin 16 is overrated, but it's personally one of my favorites and I'd contend there's a reason so many rate it highly. The iodine puts some off, but I think it's the soft, balanced dram some of the "peat-punch" Islays can only aspire to be. A fifth usually sells for $60-75 depending on your location, and although it's slightly more expensive than many of the malts we've profiled, I offer it my highest recommendation.
Hope you guys are still enjoying the SotM -- your participation makes it worth picking another spirit every month, so let's keep this one going all through February! Use this thread to talk about Lagavulin, your favorite late-winter drinks, meal and cigar pairings, or anything else! Then take a moment to browse our past Spirits of the Month, archived here on the B&B Wiki!
Cheers!
Last edited by a moderator:
