Focus on Lagg whisky - Blog post by Whisky Magazine

The first whiskies from Isle of Arran Distillers' new distillery Lagg have hit the market.
The distillery has been in production since 2019, so it is only now that some of the production has reached the mandatory three years and can be called whisky.

The first three single malt bottlings from Lagg Distillery were released in September 2022.
These three bottlings are of course produced in a limited edition of only 10,000 bottles for the world.
In 2023, a single malt from the distillery will be released in much larger quantities, making it more accessible to whisky fans worldwide.

Lagg - Single Malt. Heavily Peated 50%.
Ex. Bourbon Cask (Batch 1)
This bottling is whisky that is aged 100% exclusively in Bourbon casks. It is an introduction to the distillery's style. A virile, vibrant and young character that will be the cornerstone of Lagg whisky going forward.

Lagg - Single Malt, Heavily Peated 50%
Ex. Oloroso Sheny Cask (Batch 2)
The whisky for Batch 2 has also started its maturation in Bourbon casks, but is finished for a period of around six months in fresh oloroso sherry casks.
It is a whisky with an intense fruitiness and a really interesting flavor. There's not much smoke on the nose, but it does come through on the palate.

Lagg - Single Malt, Heavily Peated 50%
Ex. Red Wine Charred Cask (Batch 3)
This bottling is produced from whisky that has been aged for 30 months in Bourbon Barrels, then finished in Rioja red wine casks that have been heavily peated before bottling. The whisky has a very nice flavor character and it is definitely a step away from the style that you would expect from Lagg.

The first cut
The first drops of Lagg ran from the boilers on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 14:35 and cask no. 1 was filled on Wednesday, March 19, 2019 at 14:35. 1 was filled on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.
The distillery, located on the southern tip of the island Arran, is equipped with a 4-ton mash tun and four 20,000-liter washbacks made from Oregon Pine. One set of distillation boilers is installed. A 10,000 liter wash still and a 7,000 liter spirit still. However, the production area is designed so that it can be expanded with 4 more washbacks and another set of boilers if required at a later date.

Distillery Manager, Graham Omand
In connection with the establishment of the distillery, Graham Omand was appointed Distillery Manager.
Graham has worked at the Lochranza distillery for almost 10 years Arran, so he is well acquainted with both colleagues and company policies.

The first drops from Lagg Distillery
Dave Broom's assessment

DAVE BROOM - SCOTTISH "TASTE JUDGE"OC WHISKEY BOOK AUTHOR

General about "new make"
"I'm a big fan of new make. If you get the opportunity to taste 'new make' you should do it, because as soon as you taste matured whisky you kind of forget where it comes from. You can taste the influence of the cask and time on a whisky and that's fascinating in itself. But what was the DNA to begin with? It's like a piece of detective work. There's really no such thing as a 'new make'. Some are very light and clean, while others are fruity, nutty and grassy. Some distilleries deliberately seek a sulphurous 'new make' character".

"New make" from Lagg Distillery
"It comes out at 63.5% and it's not 'hot'! It's obviously very smoky, but there's none of the rubbery character that you sometimes get with very young peat-smoked whisky. It's beautiful and clean with a heathery, dry grassy character. Notes of the embers of a fire that's just about to go out. Really a nice wood-smoked character. There's fruit in it too, and real sweetness!

One of the things I always look for in a peated spirit is sweetness, because it's going to provide balance. Dark fruits, smoked pears and an interesting spicy note in the background. It's dangerously easy to drink! What strikes me most is the structure - exactly what the distillery has been aiming for - a heavy, rich and full-bodied 'old' style. It's wonderfully bold with real presence on the palate. It's not too 'hot' and you have sweetness sitting in the middle of the tongue, and although the smoke is big, it actually comes relatively late. You have real balance here with a nice vanilla note in the aftertaste. You can easily sense that this is going to be a fantastically complex whisky when it matures. Notes of fruit and sweetness and smoke on the palate make it a sensationally good 'new make'.

1 year old spirit (from 2020) currently sitting in an Ist Fill Bourbon Barret
"No overly boozy feel on the nose, and as it's a relatively active cask, you start to feel the cask influence with notes of vanilla and a creaminess that balances well with the fatness and richness of the spirit. It's a sense that things are now starting to come together. What interests me about it is that the sulphur note is pretty much already gone and you're now starting to get the influence of the wood coming through on the palate. There's a butterscotch character here and the smoke is relatively subtle. The wonderful sensual mouthfeel is fantastic, a little wider in the mouth and now you can really feel the smoke right in the middle of your tongue. Definitely not a peat bomb because it's already sweet - the barrel does its job - and there's a real and beautiful integrated feel. There's a new phenomenon that's emerging among malt whisky fans, and it's a genuine love of West Coast whiskies with a slightly older style. Bigger, heavier and slightly bolder whiskies, but with great balance. And that's where this spirit fits in perfectly"

2 year old spirit (from 2019) currently sitting in an Ist Fill Bourbon Barrel
"This cask is really interesting as the spirit is much more mature than you would expect. It's almost scary to think what it will be like as a 10-year-old. But remember, every cask is different! After a long time in the glass, there is a coconut note, and in the background, a minty note. The smoke is still present and the cask notes are slightly different as they seem more integrated. On the palate, it's quite fascinating to notice how the spirit picks up other elements of the distillery character and pushes them forward. A more spicy edge, a slightly floral/light floral note, more dry with a mineral character and with water, and a hint of citrus, but it certainly hasn't lost the rich texture or smoke."

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Focus on Lagg whisky - Blog post by Whisky Magazine

The first whiskies from Isle of Arran Distillers' new distillery Lagg have hit the market. The distillery has been in production since 2019, so it is only now that some of the production has reached the mandatory three years and can be called whisky.

The first whiskies from Isle of Arran Distillers' new distillery Lagg have hit the market.
The distillery has been in production since 2019, so it is only now that some of the production has reached the mandatory three years and can be called whisky.