After my pleasant experience with the Laphroaig 10 I had been eager to sample another Islay whisky. Lagavulin, to me, has always seemed an even more intensely peaty Islay than even the Laphroaig, it was only natural that I pursue this whisky next. The look of Lagavulin has always led me to imagine it on the shelf in a fire-lit pub, deep in the woods, 100 years ago. I find the soft, old-school look of the bottle and label to be a bonus. No frills, just good whisky.
Printed on the label of Lagavulin is a quote by Scottish novelist William Black: "I hef been in Isla more as three times or two times myself,and I hef been close to the 'Lagavulin' Distillery, and I know that it isthe clear water of the spring that will make the 'Lagavulin' Whiskey justas fine as new milk." That is a beautiful endorsement; it is a shame that advertisements today do not share the same level of poetry.
Lagavulin lays claim to the slowest distilling process of any scotch whisky. Officially in business since 1816 the Lagavulin distillery sits right on the coast, delightfully exposed to the salty sea-air. They took great care to ensure that the water which Black wrote of is shared with no other distillery.
The whisky is medium amber in color with very light legs. Like the other Islay reviewed so far (Laphroaig 10) this looked to be a light whisky. Being an Islay, the nose was of course smoky and peaty, to be expected from that region, but I want to note that it was very strong. The whisky had a light mouth feel, confirming what I had assumed from the light legs. The whisky had an interesting, slightly numbing effect on my tongue and on the roof of my mouth, but this was not a bad thing. The taste was smoky, peaty, and just slightly dry. The aftertaste was pleasant and lingered for quite some time where I continued to taste the smoke, peat, and salty air.
Rating: 4.5 out of a possible 5 Casks
Reason: I gave Lagavulin such a high rating because it is an experience to drink. From the strong peaty and smoky nose, to numbing my tongue and opening up in my mouth to give me a delicious smoky taste, and finally the lingering aftertaste, this felt like a several-step process and I enjoyed that. I would recommend this as a great addition to your bar, especially for a cold night.
While it would seem like I will only give the Islay whisky the highest ratings, please do not think that is because I am prejudice or biased, I just want to review some of these Islay greats early on. I feel that Islay whisky is misunderstood and often avoided because of its aroma; maybe these reviews will convince some of you to investigate an Islay if you have not yet. There will be many other whiskies reviewed in the future that will score as well or even better.
A glass of Lagavulin will usually cost around $10-$15 dollars; a bottle runs roughly between $60 - $70.
Cheers,
Charles
Follow me on Twitter @whiskeyreviewer
No comments:
Post a Comment