Islay distillery Lagavulin has created an expression to celebrate the 50-year career of warehouse manager Iain McArthur, who is retiring The post Lagavulin honours Iain McArthur with special bottling appeared first on The Spirits Business.
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 Ł350 (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.