Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky: Hailing from one of the oldest distillery sites in Scotland, this intense Port Ellen Islay scotch whisky receives the slowest distillation of any Islay malt. Now, if you weren’t aware Islay is famed for producing peated scotch whiskies and the thing about these types of whiskies are their love it or leave it flavour but I’m also of the opinion that all you really need is an understanding palate. On the nose: you’ll get a very intense waft of peat, sweet mixed fruits (sherry) and strangely enough some pears? This will be followed up by marzipan, vanilla, oak and smoked haddock. On the palate: you’ll get a very lovely, thick ,creamy taste of sweet mixed fruits but that intense nosed peat won’t be as dominant as first suggested. The marzipan notes will start to filter through, then the peat will make its presence known along with some oak, vanilla, iodine and a pinch of salt. The finish: is very smooth, with moderate alcohol burn, with peat that lingers for days.
The verdict: Now, I’m not a massive fan of any one whisky region but I am a massive fan of flavour and taste and this 16 year old Lagavulin in my opinion ticks the right boxes. I’ve sampled many peaty whiskies before but in terms of balance this is as close to a perfect peaty whisky as it gets. As with all single malt scotches – this is best enjoyed straight, or with a very small amount of mineral water to allow the flavours to breathe.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky can be found at a well stocked supermarket or online for approximately £50, which I think is a absolute bargain.
