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.
Like many others, I consider this to be one of if not the best example of the beautiful Islay, peaty whisky variety. Tons of complexity and delightful flavour, rich and mature smoke, but also very drinkable and smooth on the finish. Essential dram.
Im fairly new into my whisky journey and this one has blown me away. I'll be replacing this every time. Fantastic drink
Wake up the following day with no hangover?? That has never happened to me It’s great tasting and smooth
Absolutely delightful whisky - just everything in balance with nothing 'overpowering' - such a delight.
Tremendous whiskey, though not recommended for rank beginners
