Eternal Love
I would love to say just like Johannes v/d Heuvel from maltmadness.com, that the Lagavulin 16 was my first encounter with single malt, that just blew my mind and was the start of a long and fascinating journey.
Well unfortunately I can't even recall when I had my first 16yo, it was probably one of the first ten bottles that I tried. My first single malt was an ultra cheap Glen Moray NAS that I bought in Jedburgh, the Glenkinchie 12yo came in second. The first Lagavulin expression I had was the 1996 Distillers edition.
The Lagavulin 16 is a classic and as more and more people come to love it, prices are on the rise and according to some the quality on the decline.
I remember buying my first bottle for only €32, now the local supermarket charges me about €56. So the whisky is slowly moving from, being a real bang for your buck, to the higher echelons of the whisky market.
But hey, so far I have not hesitated a single moment to replace an empty Lagavulin in my cabinet, it is a whisky we must all cherish. And hopefully Diageo will not step in at one point and replace this classic with a younger NAS version.
The Lagavulin 16 is a classic and as more and more people come to love it, prices are on the rise and according to some the quality on the decline.
I remember buying my first bottle for only €32, now the local supermarket charges me about €56. So the whisky is slowly moving from, being a real bang for your buck, to the higher echelons of the whisky market.
But hey, so far I have not hesitated a single moment to replace an empty Lagavulin in my cabinet, it is a whisky we must all cherish. And hopefully Diageo will not step in at one point and replace this classic with a younger NAS version.
The Whisky
Nose: Tar and soot rise from the glass, mellow raisins, a whiff of iodine, hints from the sherry cask, rubber, liquorice, and salty ham. But it's not farmy in anyway, it is fresh and refined.
Mouth: Salty liquorice, rich on the smoke, peat, prominent oak from the cask, hints of walnuts, with something slightly vegetable in the background.
Finish: Here lies the true power of Lagavulin, that finish teleports you right to an armchair in a Scottish bothy with a smoldering peat hearth-fire. Long and salty, with strips of leather, and peat; fresh from the bog.
This is simply divine, just sit back, relax, take another sip and all will be right with the world.
The Verdict
Bow down for the queen, her angelic voice has put a spell on you. I hear the Isle calling me, time for a pildrammage.
Now, why do I adore this malt? It might not be a 8-course meal in a fancy restaurant (although if the prices keep rising it might well be), it's more like a good old-fashioned succulent steak with all the classic ingredients: peat and sherry. (and we all know that most of the time, that's all we need in life)
It's a piece of the soul of Islay, right there in your glass, a sip and the world around you disappears, it's just you and the mysterious isle.
If you don't have one in your cabinet by now, you will be forever lost
Now, why do I adore this malt? It might not be a 8-course meal in a fancy restaurant (although if the prices keep rising it might well be), it's more like a good old-fashioned succulent steak with all the classic ingredients: peat and sherry. (and we all know that most of the time, that's all we need in life)
It's a piece of the soul of Islay, right there in your glass, a sip and the world around you disappears, it's just you and the mysterious isle.
If you don't have one in your cabinet by now, you will be forever lost
