Lagavulin 1979 38 Year Old Single Cask #115 The Syndicate’s Bottling
Bottle performance
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Lot number: 180-00424
Winning bid: £1,500
Like most Islay malts, Lagavulin is definitely not for the faint hearted. The distillery was officially founded in 1816 (although illicit production on the site most certainly predates that), and produces malt with a signature style of earthy smoke and savoury undertones. 1962 marked a significant point in the distillery’s history, as it was then bought by John Logan Mackie, whose nephew Peter went on to create the White Horse blend with Lagavulin at its heart.
These days the distillery, along with White Horse, belong to Diageo. However, it is generally agreed that while Lagavulin’s core range remains reliably excellent, older expressions bearing the White Horse name still have the edge.
The Syndicate:
The Syndicate is a group of private individuals who have bottled a small but significant string of outstanding casks of Islay whisky in the last few decades. The Syndicate is believed to have been formed in the 1980s by former Bruichladdich chairman Sir John MacTaggart, a prominent Islay landowner and businessman, along with members of his family and several whisky industry figures.
The majority of The Syndicate’s infrequent bottlings have been Lagavulin, including a superb parcel of casks from the 1979 vintage that have been released at ages from 15 to 40 years old and include what are said to be some of the greatest ever bottlings from the distillery.
Distilled: 11.01.1979
Bottled: 20.02.2017
Age: 38 Years Old
Cask Number: 115
46.3% ABV / 70cl
Bottle Number: 157 / 162
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