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.
This was my first islay I ever tried. At first wasn't really sure what to think of it didn't taste like any other scotch I've had before so didn't like it so much. As I have become a more seasoned scotch drinker I've become a peat head and when I tried this again I knew I'd be drinking it as long as I lived. Initial flavor is like that first cigarette you had in high school dangerous yet delightful then comes a wave of black tea and seaweed followed by black pepper and peat smoke. Epic... it really does take you to the coast of islay. And to anyone who didn't like this try it again and again and again and eventually you will find yourself craving it. This ,laphroaig triple wood and ardbeg uigaedail are the 3 best scotches out there right now and will always be a part of my collection. The Sugarbear
It's the only whisky you'll ever need. Tastes like a bonfire at the beach on a cold windy night.
I so want to love this great looking scotch, however i have to agree with some of the people that are posting low scores on this scotch. the plastic metallic smell is so overpowering for me i cannot finish my bottle. i love macallan 12 and blue label, but this i cant drink. im wondering if its certain pallets that get this plastic/metal smell or if its certain batches, but this was very disappointing. is anyone else who is an experienced scotch taster finding the same thing?
Awesome whisky this is! My first Islay but wow I like it! Nice colour, thick and oily on the tongue. The smoke is great, not cigarish but like barbeque flavoured chips. Long smoky finish, very well balanced.
Got a bottle for my birthday. Tastes of heaven! Those who've never walked through NW Ireland in the wintertime probably can't understand the peaty smell/taste. Earthy, luxurious!
