New Release: Lagavulin 18 Year Old - Official Islay Festival 2016 200th Anniversary Commemorative (49.5%)

200th Anniversary Islay Festival bottling. It was wonderful. Lagavulin LAGAVULIN 18yo OB for FEIS ILE 2016 200TH ANNIVERSARY 49.5% Bottled in 2016, Refill American Oak Hogsheads & European Oak ex Bodega Sherry Butts The aroma expands gently with apricot jam and orange marmalade, faint citrus and plum, apple pie, vanilla and light cinnamon, surprisingly refined malty sweetness, honey and nuts, a touch of seafood stock, thick and complex with strong peat notes including iodine. On the palate, it starts with a smooth mouthfeel and expands into a rich, viscous texture. The sweetness of apricot jam and honey is balanced with nuts and refined malty umami, showing aging depth. There's a slightly powdery condensed texture with chewiness, strong peat notes accompanied by iodine and tar, rich and slightly oily with a long pleasant finish. [Very Good/Excellent] This is the official Lagavulin 18 Year Old bottled for this year's Islay Festival. As it is a bicentennial year, the label on the left indicates this is a limited edition for the 200th anniversary. Thus, it's also a bicentennial bottling. Initially thinking there were over 3000 bottles, I assumed it would be available, but during the festival period, there was always a queue in front of Lagavulin. As I participated in this year's Islay Festival, I waited for 3 hours and 40 minutes in the rain to purchase this bottle. Returning to Japan on the flight the day after release, I brought it to Yurakucho that same day and opened it immediately—possibly the fastest opening in Japan. Due to its lower ABV from 18 years of aging, it doesn't overwhelm with the punchy peat typical of Islay casks compared to cask strength 12-year-old bottlings. Instead, it wraps around with a refined gentleness. It has a pleasant fruity richness and aging depth, a well-balanced malty character for its age, sweetness reminiscent of nuts and honey, subtle seaweed stock notes with iodine and strong peat. Despite being freshly bottled and uncorked, it's surprisingly mild with a smooth viscous texture. The rich fruity sweetness and umami satisfaction are evident, while the peat remains strong. It's a gentle yet well-structured whisky with aging depth and a long finish. Most impressively, it had a unique powdery chewiness in the fruit notes, something I've experienced with certain Lagavulin releases like some Laphroaig or Port Ellen, but rarely in Lagavulin itself. This made it particularly appealing. While I greatly enjoy the standard 16-year-old Lagavulin, this bottling clearly adds aging depth and drinking satisfaction, enhancing its richness and complexity with a more appealing texture. It feels like an upper-tier extension of the standard bottling, with well-balanced aromas and a classic character. I believe this bottle is perfectly suited for the 200th Anniversary Islay Festival. Having purchased it myself on-site, I find it difficult to evaluate objectively without personal attachment, but I can confidently say it's exceptionally delicious every time I drink it. This bottle has become unforgettable for me.