53,9°
Distillery : Lagavulin - Islay
Refill and Rejuvenated American Oak Hogsheads, Ex-Bodega European Oak Butts
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Single Malt
Bottled in 2018
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Peated around 38 ppm
It had been a long time since I’d had a good Lagavulin, and I needed to make up for lost time. This distillery, which first introduced me to whisky, sometimes strikes me as a bit too smooth for my taste, and I’ve gradually been moving away from it. Here, we have one of those bottlings specially produced for the Feis Ile, the music and whisky festival held every year on the island of Islay. The maturation is complex, blending refill and rejuvenated American oak hogsheads as well as ex-bodega European oak butts. It’s of a respectable age, so this should make for a fine dram. 6,000 bottles have been released for sale.
Let's Taste It :
Tall pine trees with their needles, wood resin, melodious smoke, a square of dark chocolate. With a little time, the fruit notes develop, particularly citrus, grapefruit and lime, but also candied mirabelles and Reine-Claudes. Country bread crusts, grainy cereals. Freshly cut hay, green apples. On the palate, it is smoother, more balanced, slightly oily. A dash of vanilla, dried banana, dark tobacco, elegant oak, a few drops of runny honey. Deep and medicinal spices. A very long finish, explosive at first, then seeming to blow away. Liquorice, pine cones, lumps of charcoal, fatty leaves, melting toffee, braised hazelnuts, toasted bread, melted butter.
In Short,
Perhaps this is what was missing from the other bottlings I’ve tasted, an elegant, delicate oakiness that lends a certain patina to the overall flavour profile, and there’s plenty of it here. It’s a very well-crafted whisky, subtle and classy, with that little ‘dirty’ touch in the background, just to remind you where it comes from. All of this is extremely satisfying, what a shame the price isn’t quite right, but is that really surprising? It was released eight years ago, and the few remaining bottles are being snapped up by enthusiasts.
Score : 90
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Deaf Radio - No Place Like Home
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