Review by: ZoidbergOnTheRocks
These are my first reviews, and I enjoy comparing scotches so all of my reviews will be pairs or more. Tasted on 8/5/2020, neat in a Glencairn.
Distillery: Lagavulin
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 54.4%, cask strength
Age: 12 years old. Bottled in 2014.
Cask type: Refill American Oak Casks
Natural color. Non-chill-filtered. One of 31,428 bottles.
Nose: peat smoke, ash, caramel, honey, sea water, iodine, citrus. With water: more peat smoke, still medicinal, with sea water, lemons, pears.
Taste: malt, smoke, ash, fresh citrus fruits, slightly medicinal, medium thickness. With water: pushes the malt back and remains sweet with smoky peat, ash, and pears.
Finish: ash, spice, malt, white pepper. Not especially long, but quite clean and well balanced. With water: smoke, spice, white pepper, sweet, a bit of malt.
A fine example of Lagavulin 12, with a classic ashy peat smoke throughout, sweetness, citrus with a touch of the sea and a slightly medicinal quality. Nicely balanced.
Final Score: 87.
Thanks to Throwboats for the sample.
Distillery: Lagavulin
Bottler: Distillery Bottling
Region: Scotland, Islay
ABV: 56.5%, cask strength
Age: 12 years old. Bottled on 07/12/2019.
Cask type: American Hogsheads
Natural color. Non-chill-filtered. One of 60,762 bottles.
Nose: new make strong and very forward, malt, fresh fruits (pears and lemons), peat smoke, sea spray, slightly medicinal, camphor. With water: knocks down the new make, strawberries, citrus, rainier cherries, bandaids, peat smoke.
Taste: malt, ash, honey, white pepper, slightly medicinal, medium thickness. With water: still sweet, ash, less malt.
Finish: malt, ash, subdued smoke, spice, white pepper, medium length, a bit herbal. With water: white pepper, ash, light smoke, spice.
This version of the 12 seems quite a bit more malt-forward to me, with a “new-makey” nose and flavor strong throughout. The classic Lagavulin 12 flavors are still there, but this feels less balanced and integrated than the 2014.
Final Score: 87.
Comparison
Order: 2014 > 2019
These are quite similar. They are exactly the same color; make of that what you will. The 2014 is far more subtle on the nose, and very well balanced. The 2019 has a prominent malty, “new-makey” profile which feels younger than 12 years, and which overshadows a lot of the other flavors. Both are excellent expressions, but the 2014 is the clear winner with a far better balance throughout. I wouldn’t kick either of them out of bed, but I’ll pass on buying a bottle of the 2019.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 
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