The Aristocrat of Islays (Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky)

Member Name: ahoy

Product:	Lagavulin 16 year old Whisky
Date:	22/03/01 (240 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A uniquley characterisitic malt.

Disadvantages: Not for the 'beginner'

I am totally rewriting this opinion as I was fortunate enough to receive a bottle from my girlfriend yesterday (birthday boy) and I feel that the previous opinion was not good enough (hence only a useful rating). I must say, I really hoped I’d get a bottle of this and eagerly awaited the opportunity to reacquaint myself. Enough blethering, onto the descriptions

Background:
The Lagavulin distillery is situated within a small bay on the southern coast of Islay, near the ruins of the Dunyveg castle. The distillery is one of the oldest in Scotland and may have been functional as early as 1742. By the end of the 18th century, there were at least 7 illicit stills operating in this area and in 1837, the remaining distilleries amalgamated to form Lagavulin. Reports suggest that by 1875, the Lagavulin distillery was producing 75,000 gallons of whisky.

The Malt:
The Lagavulin 16y old (an unusual age for a malt) is generally considered to be the finest of the Islay malts and has been described as the ‘Aristocrat of Islays’. The bottle is one of the more characteristic – a brown/green glass with a distinctive label which gives the impression of being ‘old’. It is one of the more expensive Islays, but as I am to describe, well worth it.

Aroma:
The whisky is a rich amber colour and as you raise the glass, the aroma suggests a hint of pear drops, with a sweet, medicinal nose. This leads to an almost floral, chocolaty smoke, which immediately tempts one to take a sip.

Flavour:
The first flavour is a sweet malt, immediately followed by a powerful smokey peat. This aspect of the whisky is similar to the powerful Laphroaig, but is much smoother (not that I’m in any way critical of my number 2 malt!). Although there is no overt reference to sherry casking, a hint of sherry is present in the flavour and there is also a type of slightly medicinal sort of ‘Lapsang Suchong’ tea flavou
r at the end. The predominance is the mixture of sweetness with the smokey peat, although there is no unpleasant aftertaste. In fact, the only after effect is the characteristic whisky glow common to all Islay malts. This is truly a whisky to have before bed, or to perk you up on a cold / wet day – one cannot help but imagine idyllic scenes of Islay but I shan’t continue with any ‘romanticisms’.

This whisky is my favourite, as I’m sure you’ve gathered. I don’t claim to be an expert but I do appreciate the finer aspects of whisky. A few years ago whilst we were ‘writing up’ our theses, a mate and I used to go and get a bottle of whisky and test it. Our first Islay tasting will never be forgotten.

We didn’t like it.

I used to just go for Speysides until I went to Scotland with my girlfriend a while ago. She introduced me to Lagavulin and I was hooked –I think it was the combination of ambience and everything. I am still to taste a finer malt and would recommend this for any discerning whisky fan.

I would not, however, recommend this for those starting out on their whisky career – it would be a waste of this fine malt.

Summary: