Tasting 5 Lagavulins

IB Lagavulins are becoming rarer and rarer, I think they had a shortage in supply some years ago, but let's hope more Lagavulin finds its way to the single malt market in years to come.








Lagavulin 16yo 1987-2003 43% OB Distiller's Edition

The distillers edition at Lagavulin is finished in some Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, or double matured as they often call it. The color is golden brown. It smells of sweet oloroso sherry, nougat, gingerbread, cinnamon, hay, peaty, smooth as there are no off-notes or even coastal character here. The taste is very sweet and light, gingerbread, cinnamon, peppery, the oloroso impact is huge and there is not a lot of the Lagavulin left in it, so to speak. Honey, peat, leather. A nice one, but lacks some power in my opinion, a bit weak-ish.

Mild Lagavulin: 6


Lagavulin 16yo 1991-2007 43% OB Distiller's Edition

A bit more recent edition of the DE. The color is golden brown. It smells of peat, butter, caramel, honey, vanilla, oaky, more spirity this time around, even a bit peaty. The taste is dry licorice, cinnamon, phenolic, honey, peaty, burnt, rubbery, acidic. This is a totally other version where the Lagavulin profile comes into play on a high note. I think many would've added water to this one, I won't as I believe these already diluted whiskies that's been double matured will gain less than it will loose from additional water. The finish is long, nutty, peaty and drying.

A good double cask, not many of those around anymore: 6.5


Lagavulin 21yo 1985-2007 56.5% OB

At this strength and age I believe Lagavulin should be able to compete with any other peated whisky out there. But lets put that to a test now. The color is amber brown. It smells of lime, peat, smoke, ashes, rubber, sulphur, dry, heather, balsamic vinegar, salty. The taste is thick, sulphury, rich, spicy, honey, chili, oranges, lemon, grapefruit, very drying. You'll need a couple glasses of water beside this whisky, but all in all it is a superb sherried Lagavulin.

Old, dry and smoky, how we like them(?): 7.5


Lagavulin 12yo 1994-2006 57.1% OB Special Release

Only ne Special Release tonight, but I've had enough of the before to recognize the quality to be expected. The color is golden. It smells of bitter peat, smoke, peppery, vanilla, honey, baking powder, sugary, coal, ashy, salty, coastal, seaweed. The taste is thick, sweet, rubber, peat, salty, peppery, cream, bourbon, lemon, mashmallows. This is a very sweet and smooth Lagavulin, absolutely worth checking out. The finish is long, sugary, peppery, peaty, drying.

Superb stuff: 8


Lagavulin/LG2 NAS 58% Elements of Islay, Speciality Drinks

Probably a youngster as most in this series are. The color is light golden. It smells of spirity and peppery notes. Not that peaty. Very one-dimensional, no coastal notes, not even sweet bourbon-notes in this one, have I gotten a bad bottle? Not improving with time. Perhaps water will help? Lets try it bare first. sweet, sugary, syrup, peaty, peppery. With water it turns sweeter, vanilla, spearmint, bubble gum, kiwi, honey, peat, smoke, turf, earthy, leather. This is definitively a swimmer.

With added water it leaps to a: 6



Next tasting: Talisker Distillery