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.
For those who like Glenlivet and Glenfidich and other easy drinking Speyside Scotches---move on! This is Islay baby! Peat, smoke, brine, sweet and fresh fruit with a hint of iodine to finish you off. Clearly a Scotch for whom a discerning palate is a prerequisite. Slangiva!
Initially, the smokey seemed a bit overpowering but after it opened up a bit this scotch became incredibly well balanced while still retaining the classic Islay profile. I find myself daydreaming of my next glass - a little unsettling but what are you gonna do?
Mouthwatering phenolic sweetness with smokey overtones, hints of spice and fresh fruit soaked in sour dough and nutty chocolate. My oh my!
After 40 years drinking Johnny Black I decided to try something else. When I got my dream job I decided to celebrate with a bottle of Lagavulin 16. In my local ABC store that cost $100 so I expected to not be disappointed. I was disappointed. While it was undoubtedly smooth and full flavored, the smokey seemed overdone, sort of Liquid Smoke mixed with an ashtray. Perhaps it is a lack of taste on my part, but I think the Glenlivet 15 in French Oak Casks was far better and cost 1/3 less.
For a 15 plus year aged scotch I expect a smoother experience but this scotch was lesser smooth than a 5 year bottom shelf. Yes the bouquet is promising and the first second on the front gives you hope, but then it becomes a petulant toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Save yourself the trouble and try something like Glenfiddich 18 or Glenlivet 20.
