Lagavulin 16 Year Old is truly a benchmark Islay whisky. It’s loved for its deep, earthy, and maritime character with rich notes of dried fruit, vanilla, and smokiness that comes from Islay peat but is more akin to Lapsang Souchong tea in profile.
Before Lagavulin 16, the distillery did have a 12-year-old single malt. But when Diageo launched the Classic Malt series in the 1980s, Lagavulin 16 Year Old was introduced and became the distillery's flagship bottling. It received a boost in popularity after featuring in Parks and Recreation as a favourite drink of Nick Offerman’s character Ron Swanson. Offerman has since collaborated with the distillery on several occasions.
If you're looking for a food pairing for this beauty, try intensely flavoured salty blue cheeses, which complement the intense, peat-rich, sweet and salty character of this Lagavulin wonderfully.
More like Lapsang Souchong tea than Lapsang Souchong! One of the smokiest noses from Islay. It's big, very, very concentrated, and redolent of iodine, sweet spices, good, mature Sherry and creamy vanilla. Stunning.
Very thick and rich. A massive mouthful of malt and Sherry with good fruity sweetness, but also a wonderful sweetness. Big, powerful peat and oak.
Long, spicy finish, figs, dates, peat smoke, vanilla.
I'm either missing something, got a bad batch or this bottle does not hold up to the competition (i.e. my ardbeg uigeadail). Comparing the 2, I find the Laga 16 lacking in flavour, I honestly don't get the hype. I really wanted to like this and bought it due to the strong recommendations. It delivers in peat, but the rest, I feel I find it under-powered compared to my Ardbeg Uigeadail, which I find far more enjoyable.
Purchased this last Christmas for a gift, it arrived extremely well packaged. You have to fold the box up yourself -which is a good idea as then it keeps it immaculate. Delicious whisky to enjoy.
My favorite was Laphroaig 10 for the longest time, until I had this. I also love Ardbeg 10. I feel Laphroaig leans on a deeper tar aroma. Ardbeg on a super well balanced smoky smooth dram. Lagavulin on the other hand incorporates both of these splendidly as a base, then adds a top notch oak, spice and roast that just takes you home.
A fantastic, peaty masterpiece. Addictive.
It's worth way more than bargain barrel prices don't give it away for crying out loud. Ninety bucks
