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.
All you have to do is, to look all the commentary on Lagavulin 16 yo, to understand how popular drink it is. When i asked in a tasting, which was the first REALLY GOOD single malt that got them exited about them, surprisingly many said it was Lagavulin. Not as extreme Islay as Laphroaig or Ardberg, but easier to approach, with good balance in taste. Very good first step to the world of Islay.
I enjoyed the first time I tasted it and I still do after four years of buying it. If you're new to Islay you're in for a taste that will satisfy you in ways word's can not say.
I have never cared much for the smoky peaty Scotches it the past until tonight. Typically I would order a Mac 12 or 18 if I was in a Scotch mood, I have always enjoyed the caramel, sherry, vanilla, and orange flavors the Mac brought to the table. frankly, it's easy to drink... a pal of mine by the name of Ron Swanson led me to the the Lag; Ron has a mustache so I knew it was going to be good Scotch. so after having 5 of them tonight, I have converted; this is by far my new favorite scotch. "clear liquor a are for rich women on diets" - Ron Swanson
I had tried it because I wanted to see what a party tasting scotch tasted like, so I bought laugh. After making my first dram, my nose was smelling something that drew my attention. Then it came time to go for the taste. I couldn't believe what I was tasting. It was like I was introduced to something I wished I drank sooner than I did. I tried other peaty malts, but none came close to it. I still buy my favorite malt scotch, but I will always buy two of these. I also buy a bottle when I see. it's on sale. I now have 14 unopened bottles. Do you think I am crazy? I think not I just want a good supply just in case.
And it's fantastic! Just bought the bottle earlier today and couldn't wait to crack it open. The nose took me by surprise with the smokiness, and I have to admit the first sip was different. But the second was heaven! As a Speyside fan, especially Balvenie, this was a completely different whisky and I'm hooked.
