Starting the peaty streak with 4 Lagavulins

As mentioned I'll be doing some peated tastings this winter, and although I've already had some Ardbegs, Laphroaigs and even some Bowmores, I think the tastings that'll follow starting with this one, will give me some new peaty preferences.


Lagavulin 12yo 43% OB White Horse Distillers

I think this is a bottling from the 70's. It'll be fun to try such an old standard from a distillery that's so popular despite being so "unfashionable". Dark copper color, some coloring going on here? Or some sherry wood in the mix? Smells burnt, rotting hay, nail polish remover, cinnamon, peat, salt, earthy, kind of dirty style. The taste is sweet, lots of oloroso sherry, leather, dark chocolate and cinnamon going on here. Almost too sweet, but then the peat kicks in, and it puts a thick layer of cigar smokiness over the entire thing. But it's not coastal in any way, at least not on the palate. There must be some fantastic casks in this vatting, I don't think they make them like this anymore.

If this is anything to go by, Lagavulin might be a new favorite: 9


Lagavulin 12yo 1995-2007 48% OB Friends of the Classic Malts

From a first fill european oak cask. That usually means sherry, or? About the same color as the 12yo WHD. A bit higher abv, but no older stock in this one. Smells more raw and peated. Spirity. Honey, waxy and lime zest. The taste is sherried, with a spicier and peatier kick. Lacks some of the nice oloroso layers that the HWD had, but again, the peat tells the story of a modern and fashionable spirit that's easily could've managed 10 years more on oak and still stood its ground. Although it carries a bitter sting and some spirity rage, it has enough oak influence and nice peaty notes to make for an interesting everyday peated dram.

Nowhere near the WHD, but still a good dram: 6


Lagavulin 12yo 1995-2007 57.1% OB

Same vintage as the Friends of... version. But this time from a bourbon cask and bottled at a much higher strength. Is this a peat-monster, sort of Laphroaig-style, or will the lemony Lagavulin character shine through? It smells smoky, citrussy, banana, honey, cigar smoke, lemongrass and mead. The taste is spicy as hell, lemon zest, orange marmalade, green chilies, white pepper, thyme, sea salt, junipers, a most pleasant surprise as I thought this one was gonna be more spirity and peaty than the Friends' version. A bit drying, but not in a bad way, more like some sweet and dry white wine.

A more classical peaty approach in this one: 7


Celp NAS 55% The Ultimate Whisky Company

I've already had this one alongside some other new-make/spirits from the Loch Ewe distillery among others. I felt that didn't give me a fair basis for comparison as this one sailed up as the ultimate top dog in that tasting. So now I'm giving it a go alongside some of its peers what origin of produce is concerned. Yes, it's still green and has some dead seaweed inside the bottle. It smells sweet, smoky, lemony, like a very nice Gin actually. Or, it would have been the best gin I'd had so far I think. The taste is lemony, peppery, peaty, salty, seaweed, smoked herring, green paprikas, sweet chili, roasted almonds and honey. If tasted blind I would definitively say this one is the closest to what I'd expect from a produce of Lagavulin Distillery.

Shows that the Lagavulin Spirit is top produce: 7.5



Next tasting: Talisker Distillery