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 am a huge lover of all things scotch and Lagauvulin is in my top 2 or 3 but I could not drink it all the time if I'm feeling like a nice strong scotch it is my go-to. If I feel like something a little more smooth then Oban 14year single malt is the one. If Lagavulin
I have always enjoyed Speyside Scotches the most because that's just always been my preference. A friend recently told me this was one of the best Scotches he's ever had. So before I tried it of course I was skeptical. However, I must say I was blown away when I had this! Never enjoyed peaty Scotch but this is truly exceptional. True world-class quality
This was such a smooth tasting smokey scotch, literally could have drank this all night.
I didn't like Scotch until I was introduced to Lagavulin by a coworker, God bless him. I've tried other Islays, and they're largely OK save for one little five year old that may turn out to be drinkable with another ten years or so in the cask. But I digress. There is no substitute; there is no equal. If you're going to drink Scotch, do it right.
Well, I have read the reviews and all I have to say is this is the Scotch that walks into the room and says piss off ya Beta males, I'm here and I'm SMOKIN'. It IS an acquired taste, it IS a love it or leave it; hopefully you leave it for the benefit of all the lovers of it. All I can say, is you walk up to the door to the reception of this marvelous home of Scotch and it's like your grandparents old house in the Orkney's. You are greeted by Mrs. Doubt-fire. In a wee whisper she takes you into her dining room ( taste room ) with Oak clad walls tastefully plaqued with awards and citations. On a long wood buffet sits bottles you only dream of. There is no watchful eye, but elegant and generous pouring of what ever you request, the age deep into the late seventies if you like. I try the Lag ga voo lin 18. Gold. Elixir of kilted Gods. I will not effuse winded descriptions of exotic teas and creosoted seal flippers, I'll leave that to the malthead Cryptographers. So........ in a wee brogue voice, the grace and manners that your gran used to have, she asks if you enjoyed it ? Like asking a 16 year old what he thought of their first sexual experience ! My wife drags me away, and God bless her, ranks that as the best she has had, including the trip to Oban, Spyside, as far south as Bladnoch and Glenkinchie as far north as Scapa. This is the peat. This is liquid earth. This is home. This is what keeps you from killing yourself on a stark and desolate landscape. Now the 16 - lovely. And as a Scot, when Costco in Kona had it on every Christmas for $46.00 a bottle, cases disappeared; much to the pleasure of my friends and family.........and every once and a while, a newbee screws their face and scowls at the " turpentine and burnt floor wax " I serve them. I smile, non judgmental, and think of Brussell Sprouts, Cigars and Blue Cheese. So, have a taste, and hopefully you'll get kicked in the nose and mouth and say.........that was the best Lay............. ga vul in ........... I ever had........... and one of the best Scotches ever.
