Lagavulin 25 Year

Lagavulin 25, the centerpiece of the distillery’s 200th year anniversary celebration. Natural cask strength at 51.7% ABV. Aged in sherry oak casks. A true true rarity; this is bottle no. 53/8000. Does any of this make it worth the ridiculous asking price of $1200? Well... here we are. Nose: All the peaty, smoky, briny notes one would expect from Lagavulin. Campfire smoke, seaweed, sea salt, a touch medicinal. But it’s more reserved, and far less brash than any of other offering. Caramel, milk and dark chocolate, as well as toffee and vanilla. Plum and apricot. Blue raspberry and grilled pineapple. Orange citrus. Coconut. Black pepper, black tea, and cigar smoke. Walnut and chestnut. Roasted almond. A birthday cake note. As you’d expect with a quarter century of aging, plenty of oak. Magnificent. Palate: A riptide of flavor. More of the campfire smoke, sea salt, brine, seaweed, peat and medicinal notes. Big time iodine. A heavy hit of dark and mint chocolate. An assortment of smoked meats and barrel spice. Caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Orange, grapefruit, and lime citrus, with some more blue raspberry, apple, pomegranate, cherry, and apricot notes. Sherry. Black pepper, black tea, walnut, chestnut, and oak. Similar to the nose, but adds a couple more layers. Unrivaled taste. Finish: A heavy dose of peat and grilled meat. Dark and milk chocolate and salted caramel. Oak, black pepper, cinnamon, sea salt. More black tea and tobacco. All the briny and smoky notes appear as well. More of the citrus, especially orange and lime. Long finish. And there’s my last review. There’s nowhere to go from here. ...well not really. But if I did want a perfect curtain call, I’d do it with this one. Everything about it is simply amazing. It’s my new favorite whisky. The brine, peat, and smoke notes on the nose, if this makes any sense, present themselves as a daydream more so than as reality. To elaborate, when I pull my nose away from the glass, I’m left insure of whether those initial notes were there in the first place. It could be that it’s so much less than bold than the other Lag expressions, or maybe it’s because they are so many more layers behind it. It’s a strange point to make, but that really stood out to me. There’s no questioning the peat-forward nature of the palate than. It’s a three course meal with dessert. Is there anything this doesn’t offer? Let’s check. Peat, smoke, brine, medicinal, meat, sweet fruit, citrus fruit, dessert sweet notes, nuts, spice, and oak. Yeah, that’s pretty much everything I could think to look for in a whisky. All done to perfection, and astoundingly-well integrated at that. And the finish just delivered on every level. It’s an encapsulation of the finest aspects of the nose and palate, riding out to a long conclusion that takes me back to the end of a day well-spent at the beach growing up. Was it worth the coin? I don’t even know anymore. I think I’m supposed to say “No, no whisky is worth this much.” I could’ve purchased a really marginal car, or a really nice television with this kind of money. But that money is long gone, and what I’ve got is this incredible Scotch that I’ve been nursing for quite some time now. And I’m happy with what I’ve got. So for once, I’ll forgo the VFM discussion and instead declare that I’ve got a new favorite whisky. Well done, Lagavulin.

So full disclosure had 3 pours this weekend, including one today (vacation), but I don't have it in my glass as I write it. I'd never otherwise do this but multiple glasses, with or without water, and multiple pours...I think I can judge this fairly but maybe not my best review notes. Nose - So it's a fruity bomb that's unreal and has no real comp up front. It's this rich fruity sherry driven dessert bomb that transitions to mint (spearmint) and tobacco with oak smoke and spice. Taste - This comes in with a punch of unreal sweetness. It's this dark and deep fruity profile powered by waxy oils and muted vanilla. It's like a kid's candy at first and while it's unique....it isn't mind blowing yet. Then the whisky transitions to oak, spices, tobacco, mint...much like the nose really. The oak is flawless in this tannic touch with sweet oaks and flawless balance. It actually took me 45 minutes with a half dram before I fully accepted that mint was distinct and not an influence of tobacco notes. This has so much more going on, but these were the high lights. Overall - This is a standout unicorn vs the roughly 20 Lagavulin special releases I've had. I generally don't review these as I have most of these over at my friend mike's where we DO review some of these on his channel, often together, so I don't review these here, but I have a pretty sold experience with these, far more than I deserve. This and the 24 year 1991, 2015 release...which we have a review coming, are the two EPIC standouts that we've had. There are a few other stand outs but they don't leap out. So price? Well I don't want to get too into the prices paid by my friend but 1100-1800 USD is kinda the range this one is going for with better deals in the US and far worse for our UK friends. well let me rant a second.... So is this worth over a 1,000 dollars? Well....do you want a unique flavor you can't get anywhere else? If you do then this is the price of entry. That said the market says kinda yes and no. It's many years old and still on shelves but it's dwindling as lovers of this bottle are buying it up, and I'm sure for YEARS it will be on auctions as weirdo's buy whisky like an investment....that's kinda cool as it means we can get bottles down the road but it also means people just buy stuff so real buyers can't? Anyway is this better than some lag's for less? Maybe, but there's nothing else they have done that's ANYTHING like this at least in the last 5-10 years that I've had. So if you want this crazy fruity dessert lag profile, get this one. It's the ONLY choice you have. So score? Well, my 5 star isn't a PERFECT whisky, it's just an insanely high standard for the best of the best of the best I've had. It's a 5 star bottle. This is truly an epic dram, one you'll never forget.

A whisky only seen in rich people's instagram, the incredibly rare, unique and unattainable, the Lagavulin 25 years old , 200th anniversary. In my visit to Lagavulin, i went to the distillery bar, i closed my eyes, and i said to the bartender: "here is my credit card, don't tell me how much cause i'll cry, but pour me a glass of the Lagavulin 25yo 200th anniversary". She did. I will never regret this. (My bank does). This epic single malt was bottled for such an incredible distillery birthday, at 51.7%abv amd was fully matured in Px sherry casks. On the nose, it is super sherried. Dark fruits, red fruits, blackberries. Some maritime feeling is rising. THE WORLD FAMOUS BLACKBERRY MARMALADE. After a first sip, the aroma became just out of this planet. Plums, berries, syrup. Coffee beans and toffee. Outstanding. Om the palate it is very winey in a lovely way. Red fruits, blackberries and coffee. Wonderful dehydrated fruits. Aftertaste had a proper finish for a perfect dram. Tamed smoke, super elegant sherriness. Warm toffee and coffee. Punch of salt and pepper. The peat has tamed into elegance and sherry beautifulness. Overall, i have to say that this is why i came to Scotland. You have to go as a whisky enthusiast to find the rarest, craziest, amazing single malts of the world. And the good part, you can have a glass without having to mortgage your house by buying a full bottle. This Lagavulin is the pure perfection. This should be rebranded as a "single heaven" and not a single malt. My humble score for one of the greatest whiskies i have ever had, is obviously 100 over 100. Slàinte!

Live dispatch from Feis Ile 2018. My wife and I tried this as part of the manager’s masterclass on the first day of Feis Ile, which belongs to Lagavulin. This is a dark scotch, similar in color to the Distillers Edition despite the lack of added color. Chocolate, caramel, and oil on the nose are a fitting preview for a rich, fruit-filled palate. There’s an eerie lack of heat. The finish is delicious, mellowed peat and barbecue smoke. Finally, I have to say, as good as this scotch is, the Feis experience at Lagavulin may be better, and it’s incredibly generous at that. Free drams of Lagavulin 16, 8, and Distillers Edition, free cocktails, free shirts for attendees, live music, and a gorgeous setting on the southern coast of Islay. It’s a thank you to the fans, not just another way to monetize our love for the product. You could literally go to Feis Ile Lagavulin day, not spend a dime, and take it all in. We of course bought various tastings and two Feis bottles, so did not quite make it out for free ;)

Amazing stuff even better than Laphroaig 32. This has some Glendronach qualities alongside its rich dark fruit and meaty flavors. Nose: Red Apples, Barbecue Pork Ribs, Raisins, Smoke, Chocolate, Toffee, Cherries, Dates, Pineapples, Figs, Flowers, Maple Syrup, Oranges, Iodine, Rubber, Tar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Hazlenuts, Almonds, Sultanas, Walnuts, Cloves, Anise, Prunes, Strawberries Palate: Raisins, Chocolate, Brine, Toffee, Salted Cod, Red Apples, Cherries, Dates, Figs, Beef, Smoke, Peat, Tar, Barbecue Pork, Oranges, Blackcurrants, Cloves, Cinnamon, Licorice , Prunes, Apricots, Mangoes, Papayas, Pineapples, Guava, Maple Syrup Finish: Raisins, Oranges, Salted Chocolate, Beef, Cherries, Dates, Red Apples, Toffee, Prunes, Ash, Licorice, Raspberries, Smoked Hickory Ribs, Mangoes, Passion Fruit. $47/oz at fine and Rare.

Nothing consumable on God’s earth is worth this kind of money, yet here I am to tell you that 1220/8000 is mine. My love of Lagavulin and optics alone were enough for me to buy this. After doing a little research, I noticed the 25yo, 2002 edition has almost doubled in market value at auction since this introduction. Given the historical significance of the 200th anniversary releases, I’m sure this investment will continue to hold its value as long as I can resist the temptation to drink it. It would take a very special occasion for me to crack this baby open, so for now I’ll justify my stupidity as a fine arts purchase, and hope my wife doesn’t find the receipt. :)