Arguably the biggest 12 year old to date. Tremendous Whisky.
Diageo's annual releases are a highlight on almost every whisky lover's calendar. And for good reason. The collection offers a breadth of age statements, styles and strengths aimed at delivering the most memorable, elemental expressions of a given distillery’s character and not all of them priced beyond the reach of the average drinker. Always superlative selections, several have become investment trophies, and the cheaper they are, the faster they go.
2016 is a biggie for Lagavulin with a commemorative 200th Anniversary bottling that follows on from the ubiquitous 8 year old (excellent, inexpensive whisky if you haven't already tried it - grab some). The cask strength Lagavulin ticks all the boxes: highly rated, limited and affordable enough for beginners to seek out. At the time of writing, reviews on the web don't fall below 5 stars - unusual for any whisky, any time. Clearly, Diageo have wanted to mark the occasion with something special. Dr. Nick Morgan, Diageo’s head of whisky outreach comments,
"This one adds to our bicentenary celebration, but the liquid couldn't be more different from the intensely sweet and smoky 8 year old special anniversary bottling. Despite the additional four years in the cask, Lagavulin 12 retains an elemental simplicity that makes it the most remarkable of drama."
Our tip is to buy up. When these whiskies hit the market they'll go fast.
Tasting note: Matured in refill American oak hogsheads.
Pale gold. Powerful, creamy, peat-infused aromas with opening scents of green chilli, baked citrus, kippers and seaweed. Fresher after air contact with trace Elastoplast and menthol. Beautifully integrated, becoming semi-sweet by the third pass with vanilllan oak and barley cough lozenge shining through. An enormous whisky that starts out tongue nipping, peppery and assertive on entry. The middle stage turns creamy, salty, citrusy, peaty, salivating. Finish bursts with a slow attack of drying, salty, resiny flavours; achingly intense and long with low-key vanilla, pine needle, and Fisherman’s Friend lozenge (the hot variety) ramping up through the aftertaste. Arguably the biggest 12 year old to date. Tremendous. 57.7% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews...the exceptional balance between the citrus and vanillas means the hefty peat appears much lighter than it is...The peat billows rather then bellows... Just so beautifully made and matured and such a faultless exhibition of weight maximisation from a minimalist impact. Brilliant! 57.7% Alc./Vol.
96 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2018
Lagavulin 12 is a kind of Porsche 911 of whisky, everyone loves it, for good reasons. Yes, fast and reliable. It’s to be noted that this baby is another one that celebrates the distillery’s 200th anniversary. Colour: white wine, so refill wood. No complains. Nose: I think it’s even simpler than its predecessors, but that simplicity is exactly what we’re looking for here. Bauhaus whisky? Peat smoke, tar and burnt rubber, sea spray, artichokes, and Islay mud. With water: exceptionally almondy and waxy, with a perfect tar. Mouth (neat): elementary, straight, direct, uncomplicated, and perfect. Bacon, smoked fish, bitter oranges, thyme tea, bitter almonds. I find it seriously drier than last year’s SR, but I haven’t got that one in my hands just now, so please forget about these aimless ramblings. Now, the peat is huge. With water: lemons! Finish: very long. How did you like this cigar that you just chewed? Comments: I don’t know, in a way, this baby’s akin to some young Port Ellens that we could try in the past, even if there isn’t any feeling of brown coal this time. Do they have a secret programme? Recreating PE at Lagavulin? And it’s integrally distillate-driven and mature. My preferred way and style. One of the must buys of the year, together with that perfect Kilkerran 12, remember? 92 points - Serge Valentin, www.whiskyfun.com
This is the fourteenth 12 year old Lagavulin bottling in the series and was aged in refill American oak hogsheads. Vanilla and wood smoke on the early nose, then black pepper, lemon, marine aromas, and scented notes, with a hint of peaty yeast. Big, sweet, and direct on the smooth palate, with milk chocolate and black pepper, while the smoke keeps building. The finish is long and smoky, with persistent pepper. 85 points - whiskyadvocate.com, Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2016)
