Lagavulin Distillery — Islay Single Malt Whisky

Lagavulin Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located in the village of Lagavulin on the south coast of Islay, Scotland. It was founded in 1816 and is currently owned by Diageo, the multinational drinks group. Renowned for its intensely peated, smoky single malt, Lagavulin is one of Islay's most celebrated distilleries and a cornerstone of Diageo's Classic Malts range.

History

Illicit distilling is recorded on the Lagavulin site as far back as 1742, but the legal distillery was formally established in 1816, when John Johnston founded one of two distilleries operating side by side at Lagavulin Bay; a second, founded shortly after by Archibald Campbell Brooks, was later absorbed into the site. Ownership passed through several hands over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries before the distillery came under the Distillers Company Limited in 1925. DCL's successors, Guinness and then Diageo (formed in 1997 from the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan), have owned Lagavulin ever since. Malt Mill, a small experimental distillery, once operated within the Lagavulin site before closing in 1962. Lagavulin draws its process water from the Solum Lochs and has long been prized for a heavily peated, maritime character that has made its whisky a benchmark for smoky Islay malts.

Quick Facts

• Region: Islay, Scotland
• Founded: 1816
• Owner: Diageo
• Status: Active
• Stills: 2 wash stills (approx. 11,000 litres each) and 2 spirit stills (approx. 12,500 litres each)

Core Range

Lagavulin's core range is built around its signature 16 Year Old (43% ABV), widely regarded as one of the definitive peated single malts. Other regular expressions include the 8 Year Old, the annual Distillers Edition (finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks), and a 12 Year Old Cask Strength release issued as part of Diageo's Special Releases. Older bottlings, including 21, 25, 30 and 37 Year Old expressions, have appeared as limited releases.