Fairly wide availability

A choice pick

For the details…

With the popularity of the long-running HBO fantasy drama, crossovers were inevitable. Diageo got into the arena with Game of Thrones themed releases from many of their regularly bottled distilleries, with Lagavulin becoming the stand-in for the cunning and proud House Lannister. 

Lagavulin was founded in 1816 by one John Johnstone. It had a stint as part of the blending firm Mackie & Co from the later 19th century, notably under the management of Sir Peter Mackie. It came under the umbrella of DCL in 1927, and has remained with successor firms. Lagavulin was chosen to represent Islay in the original classic malts range, and the 16 year old expression has remained a staple and a classic ever since.

This iteration was bottled at 9 years old. Most reviews I’ve seen have been less than enthusiastic, however, I’ve been quite pleased with it. Only a year older, to my palate it tastes far more mature than the 8 year old that is now part of the core range, and in my most recent tasting, I also discerned an appealing pineapple note on the nose (I hadn’t noticed that when I wrote the notes below) amidst all the smoke. It’s also appealing for being bottled at 46% abv rather than the Diageo standard of 43%, although there is no clarity regarding chill-filtration and coloring.

Bottled as part of the Game of Thrones tie-in series, this Lagavulin is 9 years old and bottled at a higher-than-normal 46% abv

Nose: Intensely briney and smoky and dry. Green olives in brine, tarred ropes in a fishing port, and smoke from a coal fired engine. Faintly herbal, like an empty tea tin.

Body: Light to medium and slightly stinging.

Palate: Explosive with lots of cracked peppercorns and lightly salted smoked fish right off the bat. The smoke becomes more woody and slightly richer and is now accompanied by a citric tang–rather bitter lime. Becoming richer with more than a whisper of the 16 year old’s maturity and complexity showing.

Finish: Medium length, with something like a mix of semi-sweet chocolate lime and ash coming together before it all dries away.

Score: 88/100

Who should buy it?: Anyone who enjoys heavily peated Islay Scotch will probably get something out of this.

Overall thoughts: A tasty dram that feels more mature than its age, especially in comparison to its 8 year old stablemate. 

Bottling Information:

Expression: Lagavulin 9 year old 46% abv Game of Thrones – House Lannister

Bottler: Proprietor

Range: Game of Thrones

Bottle Code: L6260CM013 00035780

Presentation: Unspecified

Details: Unspecified

Price: $60

Availability: This range was supposed to be limited, but it still seems quite widely available 4-5 years on. You might be able to find this at your local liquor store or Total Wine, and if not there, it’s available at online retailers such as Whisky Exchange.

Distillery Information:

Region: Islay

Location: Port Ellen, South Coast of Islay

Geography: Coastal

Date Founded: 1816

Owner: Diageo

Website: https://www.malts.com/en-us/

Capacity: 2,530,000

Plant Summary: MASH TUN: Lauter; WASHBACKS: 10 Wood; STILLS: 4; HEAT SOURCE: Steam; CONDENSER: Shell and Tube

Total expressions sampled: 5

Overall distillery score: S+