Lagavulin 16 Year Old White Horse Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (1990s) 70cl
Complex, full-bodied and well-balanced. This 16-year-old single malt whisky is a rare bottle from the 1990s that was awarded the “Classic Malts of Scotland” status as a recognition of being one of the best single malts produced. It has a complex palate full of fruits, vanilla, honey and floral notes combined with sandal wood and fire smoke hints. Yet all flavours do not overpower each other, but dovetail smoothly into one another.
WHITE HORSE (Should have been called the smoky horse)
The White Horse name was trademarked soon after and the company took an interest in the newly-founded Craigellachie distillery (eventually acquiring full control in 1919). Mackie & Co also bought Greenlees & Colville Ltd, which owned a little distillery called Hazelburn in Campbeltown (until it shut down in 1925). Shortly thereafter the company sold off its non-core assets and eventually became White Horse Distillers Limited. “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth.” Or in this case, ended up as all things do in whisky, as part of the Diageo group. The company was dissolved in 2010, but with that brief snapshot, one can see how White Horse (which many people today may not have heard of) has left its fingerprints all over whisky history.
TASTING NOTES
Colour: Amber resin
On the nose: Sweet peat smoke. A gentle bit of pipe tobacco slides in. Sea salt, brine and a bit of tar—almost rubber hitting the tarmac on a coastal airport. All of this complemented by the sweet complexity of the light red fruit and menthol notes.
In the mouth: Smooth yet oily. Hits the palate with a crash of dark chocolate, orange peel and coffee icing. A touch of crème caramel, cinnamon and vanilla crescendos into the peat smoke flavours. This never overpowers the dram but instead works together in a delightful harmony. A longer finish, nicely bringing out the citrus and a few earthy notes, while the smoke continues to operate in the background.
Conclusions
In case it wasn’t clear, I thought this was absolutely delicious. This is a great example of a classic Lagavulin 16, but with a twist. It’s from another time, demonstrating the character of the distillery and its journey. It is an excellent example of learning from our history, as well as an enjoyable experience, for no other reason than that very binary purpose of why many of us explore a variety of whiskies – tasty or not tasty. This one definitely falls in the former.
The real intrigue in this tasting was where the tasting notes took diverging paths. This White Horse edition has an extraordinary depth of flavour, and it is that complexity that sometimes could end up as a cacophony of notes, but manages to avoid the discord and come together perfectly. The intensity of the smoke that might otherwise be jarring is endlessly supported by the remaining flavours, specifically those sweet and sherry notes (like how one’s gardener might support you in a quest, for example).
These days you will see these bottles bouncing from site to site, slowly creeping up the price scale, tattered box and all. Do you really care about the box, though? Just buy it and drink it; if not, you will be missing out. The other option? Someone with Smaug-loads of money will just end up hoarding these bottles in their Lonely Mountain treasure room.
So, I hope you enjoyed what has been another stop on my adventure through the world of whisky. Traveling this path of new and exciting whiskies has its trials and triumphs. But, remember, “not all those who wander are lost”.
About Lagavulin
When Lagavulin 16 Year Old joined the Classic Malts portfolio in 1989, the belief within owner UD [now Diageo] was that it would be the single malt which only the most dedicated – even crazy – drinker would attempt to conquer. Smoke, it was felt in those early days of single malt, was a step too far for most people. Glenkinchie and Dalwhinnie, softer and easier going, would be the big sellers.
What actually happened was that Lagavulin became the runaway success, to the extent that it had to be put on allocation. That its growth coincided with a period where mature stock was limited (the bad old days of the 80s and early 90s) didn’t help. Today, it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just to try and keep up with ever-growing global demand. The world has fallen in love with smoke and Lagavulin’s complex mix of seashore and moor, pipe smoke, Lapsang Souchong, bog myrtle and rich dark fruits is a destination for many.
Though fermentation times have been cut, introducing a cereal note to the new make, the second distillation remains extremely long, maximising reflux. Ageing is predominantly in refill casks, but in recent years some ex-Sherry casks have appeared as part of a controlled programme of small batch releases, while a small amount of a higher strength 12-year-old is released annually for the real peat heads.
Founded on Islay’s south [Kildalton] coast and situated between Ardbeg and Laphroaig, legal distilling was started at Lagavulin in 1816 by John Johnston. A second distillery shared the site which was first bought by the same family in 1825, before production was absorbed into Lagavulin in 1837.
It came to wider public awareness in 1862 when blender John Logan Mackie bought the distillery. His nephew Peter J. Mackie made the first of many trips to Islay in 1878 to learn the secrets of distilling and eventually take over production of Lagavulin. Sir Peter Mackie, as he became, was one of the pre-eminent figures of late 19th century whisky. He created the White Horse blend in 1890, co-founded Craigellachie distillery and was noted as a great innovator.
In 1908, irritated by the loss of the agency for Laphroaig, Mackie built a replica distillery at Lagavulin which he called Malt Mill. It ran until 1962 and though it was set up to produce the same character as Laphroaig – which is only two miles away – it never did. Neither did it make Lagavulin. A (fictitious) cask of Malt Mill played a central role in film director Ken Loach’s comedy The Angel’s Share.
The distillery floor maltings shut in 1974. They now form the visitor’s centre and admin offices.
43% ABV
70cl
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