Review by: dustbunna
Distillery: Lagavulin.
Bottler: Distillery bottling.
Region: Islay.
ABV: 57.8%. Cask strength.
Age: 12 years. Bottled in 2018.
Cask type: Refill bourbon barrels.
Price: $100 USD for 750mL.
Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Bottle open across approx. 1 year 9 months, notes taken leisurely across that period. Bold notes taken beneath the shoulder, regular-formatted notes taken further into the bottle past the halfway point, italicized notes taken towards the heel.
Nose: light pipe smoke, minerals (soapstone), a few drops of water release lemon poppyseed muffins, some cleanser, sweet pastries, toast, fennel.
Palate: thick, oily body ~ icing sugar, lemon zest, liquorice tea, water sweetens and brings everything into balance, grapefruit, crushed seashells, pipe tobacco, yellow fruits, star anise, lemon candy.
Finish: long ~ hazelnuts and Brazil nuts, more lemon zest, grapefruit zest, wet rocks and more crushed seashells, salt, more pipe smoke, with water the seashells and citrus zests linger.
Conclusion: This is a little more mineralic and austere than I remember the 2017 Lagavulin 12yr, which I loved (although it’s been a few years.) This 2018 Special Release is still utterly transparent, powerful whisky for me, and I’d say that water and patience unlock something really magnificent in all the citrus, minerals, anise, pipe smoke, and maritime notes interwoven throughout. Looking at the recent Diageo releases it’s hard to remember (or even fathom, honestly) that I bought this on sale for $100 out the door in 2021, and that was quite the deal for whisky this engaging. Too bad they had a limit of one per customer, or I might have cleared the shelf.
Final Score: 90.
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 