My take on Lagavulin 16 yo

There are a few Single Malt Scotch Whiskies that are recognized as being "Classics", or that have a very well reputation amonst whisky drinkers. One such classic whisky, that is often highly praised also by many experts, is the Lagavulin 16 year old, which is the standard bottling of that distillery. Being an Islay whisky, this one filled the emptying slot on my whisky shelf when the filling level of the previously tasted Laphroaig Quarter Cask approached the bottle base. The Lagavulin has a similarly strong peat smoke element, but in addition also a sizable amount of sherry cask maturation involved, yielding a flavor profile that balances peat smoke and sherry sweetness. Furthermore, it is aged considerably longer, and of course the distillery style of Lagavulin has its own unique characteristics. Therefore, in my opinion it is a good continuation on my journey, giving me more perspective on the aspect of peated whiskies. Also, as it is one of the most well known malts, it can serve in the future as a nice benchmark that (almost) everybody in the whisky community can relate to, and it certainly is one of the malts that are said to be ones that "you absolutely have to try at least once".

Lagavulin is a kind of a peculiarity, in that the standard bottling (that makes up for probably more that half of the total sales of a brand) is aged 16 years. For most other whiskies, it is usually 10 or 12 years, and in recent years such an age statement is even omitted on increasingly many bottlings. In fact, this Lagavulin is the oldest whisky on my shelf at the moment! The price also is a bit steeper than most other entry bottlings of Scotch whiskies, and so far this was my most expensive bottle. For many other brands, I am certain, this policy would impede market success, but the reputation of Lagavulin actually is such that despite this overtone of elite, it sells. You will be able to find a bottle of this stuff on many bar shelves around the world.

So although this is a mainstream whisky, I feel it makes for a good step on my journey. Here are my tasting notes:

Nose: Dry peat smoke and a smell of ash, like from a cosy bonfire. Behind the smoke, a sweetness from the involved sherry casks is very obvious.

Taste: Strong arrival, with lots of peat smoke, and a sweet taste of sherry. However, the smoke is not such a blast as it is with Laphroaig. Feels hot and savory in the mouth.

Finish: Long, lingering smoke. Briny taste of salt and seaweed creeping in. Very warming.

Bottom line: The kinship to Laphroaig is obvious, this typical Islay peat and maritime briny aroma. However, it is also definitely different, not just due to the sherry influence. There are lots of different shades of smoke and variations in the aromas to be discovered, and after half a bottle it is still far from becoming boring. Besides, it's really tasty. Definitely recommended!
 + Classic Islay whisky, balance of peat smoke and sherry influence
 - High price for a standard bottling, quite extreme taste (not for everyone)

Slàinte mhath!