Lagavulin 16 Year

Visual: very slow, thin, and spaced out legs. Amber in colour. Nosing: smoky and peaty for sure. Reminiscent of charcoal embers. Not nearly as intense as Ardbeg. Vanilla and oak follows. Candied apple hits the back of the nose. A general fruitiness present also. Tasting: strong smoke off the bat. Present in the finish. Lots of body (oily). The smoke lingers after the finish. Also finishes dry. Top palate gets aged oak. Briney. Smooth. Reduced Nosing: more fruitiness comes through. Maybe because I'm enveloped in the smoke, very little comes through. Reduced Tasting: I notice more sweetness as I sit with this dram. Reminds me of if sea spray and campfire smoke on a rainy day [personal note]. Less complex than I originally thought; but a good dram doesn't always have to be overly complex!

Nose: The immediate smoke is meaty and salty, like a beautiful barbecue. As the nose acclimates after a few more tries, the Bourbon and Sherry influence shines through. Vanilla, honey, caramel, and orchard fruits with raisin and a bit of seaweed underneath. Palate: The smoke is a little more ashy and wet here. Not so in your face either. Vanilla and caramel hit after the initial smoke. Lovely barrel spices. Raisins, tart apple and seaweed really round out this dram. Finish: Long and luscious that only comes with age. Peat smoke and apple dance on the tongue for what seems like hours. Summary: An incredibly delicious and balanced pour. There's a reason it has the status it does in the whiskey world. Should be on everyone's whiskey bucket list.

Nose: Big peat smoke, pepper, and fruit jam below the surface. Palate: Oily, rich and meaty. Then suddenly sweet and fruity. Incredible complexity and very hard to peg. Punches you in the mouth with it's balance. Finish: The smoke fades and the sherry lingers seemingly forever. This is probably one of the most hyped single malts there is and for good reason. As a Canadian, I would liken this to a Montreal smoked-meat sandwich on rye with Saskatoonberry jam. Which is not a thing but maybe it should be. As mentioned, I'm tasting this for the first time alongside a dram of Arran Barrel reserve which was good, but as David Brent would say "This is big boy shit mate". Cheers

ASTONISHING! I opened the bottle the peat touches you gently. It barely comes at you step by step. Left it 10 minutes after openining the bottle, got some air and then BOOM - it is far from just a peaty whisky. Grass, earth, meat skin, ripe fruits, honey, whoa, whoa, whoa. Beautiful. It is as complex on the palate as it is on the nose. Every single time I taste it, it's like I find more and more. Peaty meat, amazingly baked on oven lamb steak, baking spices, soft red pepper, vanilla, juuust a piece of fruits and a solid amount of hobey to marinate the beautiful meat oily character. More notes - guys, the more I taste it, the less smoke and the more honey I feel. Beautiful!

An intense, Single Malt Scotch Whisky by Lagavulin Distillery in Islay, Scotland made using a slow fermentation (between 55 & 75 hours); slow distillation (around 5 hours for the first distillation & more than 9 hours for the second) before being aged for 16 years in Refill European oak casks. It has an aromatic birth with notes of Lapsang Souchong tea, peat smoke, iodine, sweet spices, creamy vanilla & sherry; while a rich & bold life adds notes of dried fruit, oak, smoke, sherry, barley-malt, cinnamon, clove, sea salt & pepper; that led to a long & spicy death with notes of Indian spices, figs & dates. March 2020 / September 2022

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Campfire, salt, wet sand. Classic Islay notes. Palate: Salty bread notes with a good amount of spice. Finish: Medium heat that goes on and on. Splash: A bit of oak appears with a few drops of water. Overall: 9/10 - This is a classic Islay that I could probably pick out in a blind tasting. The finish is remarkable for the low proof, and the oak only appears with a little coaxing. I've had this bottle for a long time and just realized that I had never written a review. There's a reason that everyone knows the name Lagavulin, even those who don't like Islays.