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.
Ok I'm only here because Ron Swanson recommended this
I received my first bottle of Lagavulin 16 as a gift from some of my members! I have always enjoyed the Glen 12 as my usual drink. NO MORE! Your 16 year old scotch has a new best friend, I love the mellow smokey flavor that stays with you long after the drink. My favorite scotch of all.
If you like this one you should get your hands on a bottle of the cask-strength Lagavulin. I picked up one at Marty's in Newton MA when on a business trip there 4-5 years ago and it is spectacular. (A bit pricey though!) this has been my favorite malt for years although I got a bottle of cask strength old-stock from Ardbeg a few years ago that came pretty damned close.
Title speaks for it self. Simply astonishing how well rounded this single malt is. If I could afford a closet full of this I would, always have one around. If I had one item to bring on a desert island, it would be this bottle.
Somebody reviewed this single malt and called it undrinkable and unquaffable. Well of coz its undrinkable if you quaff it. this whisky is to be savoured. It's complex but interesting. I don't pretend to taste the myriads of flavours the experienced drinkers mention. I just know that this is one good whisky to be savoured alone or with a few good friends and you'll find peace on earth even if it's temporary.
