Review #2 Lagavulin 16

Lagavulin 16

ABV:43%

Chill Filtered

E150a added

Ex bourbon and sherry cask (I believe?)

This is a dram I really wish I could go back to and experience my first sip of again and again. Lagavulin 16 was the first islay whisky I tried and it is an experience that I remember to this day. In a crowded whisky bar with two close friends we picked a dram each at random; I asked the barman what they would reccomend as a classic bold Scottish expression and Lagavulin 16 was what he poured for me. This was the moment that I fell in love with the region of Islay. Lagavulin maintains its position in my core whisky collection to this day and I constantly find myself going back to this dram for good reason!

Nose:

On the nose I get the scent of a bonfire the morning after it's gone out, a pleasant warming ashyness. I also find Scottish tap water (the best tap water and I will fight anyone that says different). Amongst this harmonious chior of golden nectar I also get a sweet Vanilla and dried fruits along with more citrus fruits.

Palate:

On the first approach this is a rich peaty dram. Smoked savoury meat and ash soon give way to an orange rind sharpness and then to more of a fruit tinned in syrup such as candied orange. It really took me a while to write this review as I couldn't quite pinpoint the flavour. It finally came to me, Pineapple! Yet another surprising addition to this well rounded and balanced whisky. I believe this tinned fruit sweetness can be attributed to the sherry influence and really shines through after about 10-15 seconds on the palet and becomes even more obvious on following drams.

Finally a cooling minty sensation across the back of the tongue finishing with a bitter orange rind flavour.

The Lagavulin scores 89/100.

Only slightly behind the Ardbeg 10 as I prefer the initial aggressive bite of smoke and salt of the Ardbeg compared to the more rounded and subdued ash note from the Lagavulin, I believe this to be the case as the Lagavulin has spent 6 more years in its cask which has led to its more rounded profile. It is a well deserved score, Lagavulin 16 is an icon of Islay and its well balanced flavours from the smack of smoke to the vanilla and canned fruit sweeness to the fresh pineapple and finishing of mint it is a real journey and one that should be savoured.

Location: Glasgow, UK

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