Lagavulin is one of the two Diageo distilleries on Islay with the other being Caol Ila, the 16 year old is usually highly rated, it’s also uncommon these days for the distillery to have it’s entry expression 16 years old, it’s aged on mainland Scotland though (not on Islay).
Colour: amber +3, rather dark, not sure if it’s sherried or all colorant.
Nose: dense, tar, peat smoke, sweet pipe tobacco, licorice, black tea, salt, sulphur, iodine, nice complexity, sherry notes, sweetness, caramel, dried fruit, elegant, refined, very well balanced, quite amazing, it’s a peated whisky alright but there’s so much going on.
Taste: big, pungent, full bodied, there’s salt, peat smoke, orange liqueur, sherry notes, dried fruit, it’s oily, thick, malt sweetness, starting to get drier, black pepper, wood smoke, again it’s really rather amazing.
Finish: long, salt, licorice, black tea, dates, oak, cigarette smoke.
Comments: probably the best entry level whisky there is these days, the peat doesn’t dominate on any level, very well balanced, has such a nice body, texture, mouthfeel, works so well on so many levels, about 89 points.
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