Lagavulin 16 Year (Islay Single malt Scottish whisky: 16 Years Old: 43% ABV)
Visual: Dark orange amber.
Viscosity: Fast forming thin streaks.
Nose: Roast beef, tobacco, salt and a touch of peat. Ginger bread. Dry dust sugar.
Body: Sweet front that melts into rocky cliffs and sea salt. Burnt notes and honeyed syrup. Light vanilla and then finally toffee seeps through. Little alcohol fire for such a potent whisky.
Finish: Full bore smoke finish, bitter and salty. Anchovies. Lots of sea breeze.
Conclusion: A truly complex Islay whisky – full bore smoke and rockiness with a salt character as expected, but it rounds out with fantastic complexity.
Probably my favourite of the Islay whiskys, forceful but with modest alcohol influence. This should be pride of place in any whisky fans collection.
Surprisingly smooth, the punch is all in the smoke and flavour, not in cheap spirit fire.
Fantastic on its own or complemented cooked meats, very little should overpower this beasts flavour.
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