Single Malt 16YO
⏳ Drinking Window
As a fully matured distilled spirit, it is bottled at its peak and does not improve with bottle age. It can be enjoyed immediately upon release and will remain in pristine condition for decades if stored upright and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, raw oysters, dark chocolate
✨ Technical Specifications
Lagavulin 16 Year Old is the quintessential expression of Islay's rugged southern coast, representing over two centuries of distilling heritage since the site's official establishment in 1816. This legendary single malt is crafted using water from the Solan Lochs, which flows over peat-rich hillsides, and is distilled exceptionally slowly in pear-shaped stills to maximize copper contact and develop its characteristic oily, complex spirit. It is then matured for a minimum of sixteen years in oak casks, absorbing the maritime air and salty gales of Lagavulin Bay. The result is a masterpiece of balance, weaving together intense peat smoke, iodine, and seaweed with a rich, dried-fruit sweetness and a warming, oak-driven finish that has made it a benchmark for whisky lovers worldwide.
🍾 About the Producer
Perched on the rugged southern coastline of Islay, Lagavulin was officially established in 1816 by John Johnston, formalising centuries of illicit distilling along the sheltered cove beneath Dunyvaig Castle. Operating within an unforgiving maritime microclimate, the distillery draws peaty, mineral-rich process water from the upland Solum Lochs. Production relies on heavily peated barley and exceptionally deliberate methods: lengthy fermentations in larch washbacks precede distillation across four distinctive pear-shaped pot stills. Lagavulin famously executes one of the slowest double distillations in Scotland with wide middle cuts and high fill levels, maximizing copper interaction to sculpt a rich, oily spirit imbued with phenolic depth, smoked lapsang souchong, and iodine. Matured extensively in dunnage warehouses washed by sea spray, the resulting single malt balances pungent maritime brine and sweet oak tannins. Benchmark expressions include the iconic 16 Year Old, the cask-strength 12 Year Old annual releases, and sought-after mature parcels within Diageo's Prima & Ultima collection.