Lagavulin

A finish in Don Julio Tequila casks introduces herbal notes to this Islay classic.

The nose is immediately more medicinal than smoky, with classic driftwood bonfire notes arriving later. The tequila cask influence introduces a herbal note, barbequed pork and maritime notes introduce themselves with a splash of water.

To taste there are rich and creamy mouth coating notes, along with salted citrus notes and juicy plums. The smoky and meaty tones linger on the end of the palate, introducing a long, salty, and smoky finish.

This Lagavulin has been aturing in Pedro Ximenez and Olorosso seasoned casks for 26 years. The notes start off oily and move into a sweetness with salt and pepper and smoke. Savoury notes are also found which develop into a long sweet and warming finish. Only 7542 bottles produced.

One of the most famous whiskies in the world, Lagavulin's 16 year old has a lovely balance between a tarry blast of peat smoke, touches of sweet honey and rich dried fruit that lingers on to a dry and mellow smokyness - a true Scotch whisky classic from Islay.

This 21 year old Lagavulin was originally released in 2007, and since that time it has become something of a legend. Matured in first-fill sherry casks, this is amongst the darkest Lagavulins ever released, offering a whisky that strikes a careful balance between the sherry and classic lagavulin peat smoke. This is now a staggeringly difficult whisky to source, and ranks as one of the most legendary Lagavulin bottlings of the last few decades.

At the time of its release in 2006, this was the oldest Lagavulin ever bottled. There were two releases of this bottling, and this is the UK / Europe release bottled at 52.6% cask strength. Distilled in 1976 and selected from just a handful of casks yielding 2340 bottles, this is widely regarded as one of the very best releases from the distillery. Though Lagavulin was in full production at the time, few casks remain from the 70's and both collectors and whisky enthuiasts seek out these rare gems.

A younger expression from one of Islay's most famous distilleries, Lagavulin's 8 year old offers a more intense and smoky profile than the 16 year old.

The nose is lovely and soft, with citrus tones, hints of creamy chocolate, sweet smoke and characteristic maritime peat notes.

The palate offers more of Lagavulin's signatory sweet smoky notes, however they are bigger and more pronounced than expected, drying towards the end.

For a whisky of this age, the finish is lovely and long. It is both rather smoky, yet still very clean. 

This whisky is from the acclaimed Australian distillery Starward, and marks a rare collaboration between Scottish and Australian whisky makers. Originally matured in the distillery's classic ex-red wine barrels, it was finished for 18 months in casks that previously held Lagavulin from the Isle of Islay in Scotland. A chorus of fresh red fruits and berries joins chocolate and toffee, and the unmistakable scent and flavour of sea-salty peat smoke.