Lagavulin 16 Year (White Horse Distillers)

A look back: I contacted Lagavulin about their 16-year-old, released in 1988. They confirmed prior knowledge and added details. Since 1974, all Lagavulin distillates use malted barley from Port Ellen Maltings, with a consistent phenol count of 34-38 ppm. This expression has had a 30-year run, but the distillery hasn't distinguished between bottlings, leaving enthusiasts trying to pinpoint production eras. The name "White Horse Distillers" dates to 1924 when the Mackie family owned the distillery, and this name stayed on Lagavulin products into the 20th century despite ownership changes. Its removal from labels and boxes has been a recent discussion point. Knowing the removal year would help date releases. Lagavulin suggested contacting UK auction houses, two of which they named. I reached out to these two and six others, getting replies from six within 24 hours. Thanks to Whisky Auctioneer, Whisky.Auction, Whisky Hammer, Just Whisky, McTear's Auctioneers, and Scotch Whisky Auctions for their quick responses. The findings were consistent: the "White Horse Distillers" name was removed from the Lagavulin box and label around 1999, shortly after the 1997 Diageo merger. Bottles from the late 80s and early 90s are most sought after, likely using barley malted in-house when Lagavulin had its own floor malting. These can be identified by gold lettering on the bottle's sides: "1816" on the left and "Isla" on the right. The earliest bottles lack the "Classic Malts" logo on the green carton. Mid-1990s bottles show the "Classic Malts" logo top-left. Late-90s White Horse releases have "1816" and "Isla" embossed in the glass and the "Classic Malts" logo centered on top of the box. The Lagavulin 16, White Horse edition, I previously reviewed was among the later bottlings.

There are a few occasions for which I always open a special bottle: my birthday, my partner's birthday, and significant accomplishments (especially from my children). This particular bottle was one I had been eager to open for a considerable time. It so happened that my birthday this year coincided with Election Day, making it a dual celebration. My specific bottle of White Horse Lagavulin was from the early 1980s. An interesting history of it is detailed below by another user. Ages ago, I believe I paid just $40-50. Currently, these bottles command prices well over $500, if they can be found at all. One cannot help but question whether the Lagavulin produced in that past era was identical to that made today. Therefore, I conducted two tests: one involved a side-by-side comparison with a recently purchased Lag16; the other involved removing the labels and placing it next to a contemporary Lag 16, also with its label removed. I presented these two bottles to some close friends and family who gathered for a socially distanced Election Day/birthday celebration in the backyard. Here are my findings from the side-by-side comparison: The contemporary version exhibited more intense smoke than this one. The White Horse possessed greater complexity, with the smoke being sweeter and fruitier. The modern version, while good, seemed more one-dimensional—all smoke and brine. This layered the smoke with more citrus, coffee, and tobacco notes. Consequently, I clearly preferred the White Horse over the modern version. However, it is certainly not worth the 5x price premium. You are paying for nostalgia rather than an exponential increase in quality. Now, for the second test: The modern Lag bottle was about 80% full, while the White Horse had barely one or two pours remaining. I casually asked a few individuals why they preferred the unlabeled White Horse over the unlabeled Lag, and I received the same response: fruity smoke. There you have it, folks...the White Horse appears to be somewhat superior. At least based on my two informal tests.

Recently acquired this bottle from a private sale and was quite pleased. This older Lagavulin 16 features the “White Horse Distillers” marking, suggesting it's at least two decades old. This designation was removed after the 1997 Diageo merger. While some sources claim Lagavulin reduced its distillate phenol levels from 50ppm to 35ppm years ago, and this has been evident recently, my visit to the distillery last fall didn't confirm this. This purchase aimed to settle that question definitively. The prior owner stated the bottle had been stored horizontally in a dark wine cellar for over twenty years, and the high liquid level in the neck indicated a good seal. Comparing its color to a current bottle using matching glencairns yielded identical results. Visually, the faint amber gold hue showed no detectable differences, suggesting consistent quality over time. The nose was also surprisingly similar, with minimal variations only apparent after multiple tastings. Curiously, the newer Lagavulin was slightly smokier, with a fresh smoked barley aroma reminiscent of Islay distillery tours. This smokiness seemed less pronounced in the White Horse version, allowing sweet sherry notes to emerge and add sophistication. Palate differences were undetectable, confirmed by several blind tastings. My takeaway: sometimes our memories are more pleasant than the actual experience!:)

Significantly better than the current 16. It shows a lot of sherry influence and sweet smoke. I was informed that the older labels from the early 90s had a greater amount of European oak sherry casks, whereas the current version includes a small quantity of refill European oak casks seasoned with bourbon. Aroma: Tar, Iodine, Raisins, Barbecue Glazed Ham, Figs, Plums, Toffee, Vanilla, Citrus, Coal, Bananas, Burnt Honey, Roses, Sultanas Taste: Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Coal, Raspberries, Figs, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Peaches, Honey, Mackerels, Salted Cod, Espresso, Sunflowers, Coconuts Finish: Burnt Pineapples, Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Plums, Luxardo Cherries, Honey, Smoke, Maple Glazed Bacon

Smells almost like petroleum. A pleasant, strong smokiness with a slightly spicy end, similar to black pepper. Comforting and warm on a chilly evening.

Smoky like a campfire, but smooth as silk.