Lagavulin honours Iain McArthur with special bottling

Islay distillery Lagavulin has created an expression to celebrate the 50-year career of warehouse manager Iain McArthur, who is retiring.

McArthur started his whisky career at Port Ellen Distillery before moving to Lagavulin, where he has worked for half a century. He has worked across several roles, from peat cutting and overseeing casks to conducting warehouse tasting sessions for distillery visitors.

McArthur said: “Being part of the Lagavulin family has been the adventure of a lifetime, but now I’m ready for a change of pace.

“At 18 years old, this bottling brings back fond memories for me, enjoying a dram and celebrating moments in my life. I hope everyone who loves this distillery as much as I do gets to enjoy it.”

The cask was filled by McArthur 18 years ago and the bottles were hand-filled by him this month.

Matured in second-fill manzanilla Sherry casks, Iain’s Farewell Dram boasts notes of ‘smouldering wood embers’, with ‘ripe orchard fruits’ and ‘aromatic spice’.

It has an ABV of 58.7% ABV, with an RRP of £350 (US$444).

McArthur’s friends and family were given the first opportunity to purchase a bottling on 14 December, while another 18 bottles were available to purchase through a ballot.

Lagavulin’s owner Diageo recently revealed it expects to see a drop in profit in the first half of fiscal 2024, with its share prices taking a hit.