Lagavulin 12 Year Old (Special Release 2013) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.

Note: No gift box supplied.

If the sheer ubiquity of the 16 Year old has rendered it less visible in a market grown accustomed to notice the novel and exciting, here is a reason to revisit Lagavulin. One in a sequence of 'vintage' bottlings, aged in refill American oak casks and reportedly bottled without filtration, revived as an annual limited edition to "...satisfy the cravings of those who never understood why Lagavulin moved to 16 years of age". The annual bottlings have never missed the mark with international reviewers and consumers alike and could arguably be considered this distillery's new benchmark. And now for a little bit more you can get a lot more: The 12 Year Old represents a departure from its more heavy handed, sherry-influenced sibling. This is long on style - even elegance - with that elusive delivery of restrained power and layered complexity that charms the pants off lovers of seaside malt. It navigates its own waters somewhere between the finest cask strength expressions from Ardbeg or Laphroaig.

Opening sniffs detect sea shore and smoked fish with underlying vanilla and sweet malt. Aeration draws out a fruity edge with suggestions of citrus infused tea, unripe mandarin and quince paste. Third inspection finds the sooty peat emerging alongside notes of lanolin. A light entry develops into a concentrated, dryish mid palate; cocoa and vanilla are smothered in a blanket of sweet smoke and spice; finish is warm, tingly, salty, firm and prolonged. Turns distinctively bittersweet chocolate-like to fade salivating, dry and with late notes of orange cake, citrus peel and fruit’n’nut chocolate. The high ABV never compromises the balance. A few drops of water accentuates the bittersweet dark chocolate / wool-shed aromatics while softening the mouthfeel immeasurably and extending the mid palate stage. Smashing stuff. 55.1% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... Colour: white wine. Nose: oh this is lovely. There's some sweet and rounder vanilla and fudge at first nosing, coating yet another crystalline peat, some superb earth (Pu-ehr style), wet gravel, some antiseptic and touches of our beloved gentian spirit. Maybe not that complex at this point, but simply implacable and superbly 'obvious'. With water: ultra-clean tincture of iodine and barbecued marshmallows plus always some roots. Fresh ginseng? Love that. Mouth (neat): instant pleasure. Lagavulin's trademark sweetness (wrt the other big peaters), with notes of butter pears, then an avalanche of all things coastal and smoky (like, a beach bonfire), then some kind of ashy oils, and lastly, grapefruits. Grapefruits make the great peaters, methinks. Also a little dill - or gravlaks-not-from-Ikea. With water: the best part. Just obvious, huge yet sharp and wonderfully balanced, with that Lagavulinian extra-sweetness. Finish: very long, with the roots and the earth having the upper hand this time. Less sweetness, which is welcome in a finish in my opinion. Comments: I think the Lagavulin 12 never stops improving, year after year. In a way, I'm considering it's the best 'simple' malt whisky money can buy, because it is simple whisky. To put in your cellar as a gift to the next generations.  92 points - whiskyfun.com