Review by: The Muskox
I wouldn’t call Lagavulin a particularly accessible Islay whisky for enthusiasts. Diageo doesn’t put out very many bottlings, most of those are very expensive, and they don’t sell many casks into independent bottlers. This yearly cask-strength release, though, might just be all a dedicated whisky nerd needs.
Distillery: Lagavulin.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Region: Islay.
ABV: 56.5%. Cask strength.
Age: 12 years. Bottled in 2021.
Cask type: Refill American oak casks.
Price: N/A, sample.
Nose: Dark, rich, savoury, and maritime. Slow-braised meats seasoned with black pepper and cumin. Baked carrots. Earthy, muddy grass, savoury dried herbs. Rice vinegar and oyster sauce. Sea salt and nori. Hints of sweetness – sugar cane juice and green apple.
Palate: Full-bodied. Arrives fragrant, coastal, and slightly sweet – sweet spuce twigs, green flowers, lime juice, yellow plum, and ripe red apples, intertwined with rich, earthy, industrial peat smoke. Oysters and some cooked-vegetable savouriness. Artichoke with butter! Salty seashore and wet moss.
Finish: Long, with rich, earthy peat smoke and a surprising amount of sweetness. Lime and green apple. Sea salt. Marmite. Pulled pork.
Conclusion: It’s hard to be too judgmental about a whisky like this one. I can’t help but think of the pot of chili I made the other day – no, not because my house still smells like it, but because this whisky has the same kind of savoury depth that I’m very proud to have achieved in this latest batch of chili. I poured this whisky for a less whisky-experienced friend the other day and just about blew his mind. That’s when this kind of whisky really shines I think. You’re a couple drinks in, in tasting analysis mode, and you get a dram like this that just tastes good.
Final Score: 85.
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 