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've been desperate for a regular drinking scotch to have a few drams of on weeknights or quiet saturdays and I have found it. This is such a delicious whisky with just the right blend of sweetness and peat. It is just at the top end price wise of what I would consider to be affordable everyday whisky, but it is absolutely worth it.
Few years ago this was magnificent malt, but not anymore. No it's just a mediocre Islay malt. So sad.
i was hesitating to buy this, because of the sweetness. But don't worry at all i took the risk and it payed of big time! This is a very balanced whisky, i would recommend this to anyone who has Ardbeg, Caol ila and talisker.
A smoky, rich, very smooth and balanced whisky. Highly recommended! Peter
Hands down the best single malt. Sipping one after dinner makes the day complete.
