lagavuin 21

[timotheon]

So I'm gonna crack open the laga 21 for xmas this year. I was wondering if anyone could recommend some good comparison single malts to drink with it. any tasting pairing ideas would be much appreciated. thanks!

[Ganga]

Depends on what you have available. I'd recommend another Lagavulin like the 16 or the 12. Compare and contrast. So what's available?

[Leorin]

I would also take a Lagavulin Distiller's Ed. into the panel. As it's another sherried version it should make an interestion comparison.

[pavv]

The Lagavulin 21 beats the cr*p out of most other whiskies... So comparison-wise it is hard to find something equal.
So I would recommend to try something completely different .... Perhaps a powerful peaty bourbon matured whisky, or a fruity speysider ... Just make sure that you don't start with the L21

Enjoy!

[Ganga]

There is also the contrast of going with something that is big sherry with little or no peat. Springbank 18, Macallan 18 come to mind. BTW, the 1992 seems to becoming familiar with the 70s vintages for Macallan 18.

[Willie JJ]

The Lagavulin 21 beats the cr*p out of most other whiskies... So comparison-wise it is hard to find something equal.

It is good stuff, I do agree. JM didn't think so when he first tried it, giving it an 80, but by last year he had revised his opinion to 95. I think you might try some mighty sherried peat from another still. Uigeadail maybe. It's not very sherried and its younger but it might be fun to compare them.

[johan brugge]

Why not try a Port Ellen to compare it to the Laga 21? You can easily find a PE about the same age (or exactly the same age) as the Laga. Both are peated, but guaranteed they're different.

[Knolly]

The Lagavulin 21 beats the cr*p out of most other whiskies... So comparison-wise it is hard to find something equal.

It is good stuff, I do agree. JM didn't think so when he first tried it, giving it an 80, but by last year he had revised his opinion to 95. I think you might try some mighty sherried peat from another still. Uigeadail maybe. It's not very sherried and its younger but it might be fun to compare them.

Willie - I think you're bang on with this post.
Laga 21 is one of the finest whiskies released in recent memory (JM was definitely out to lunch though...) and if you want to compare it to something, I think one of the best whiskies to have with it will be a good batch Uigeadail for sure. Especially since the Oogie is relatively cheap and - more importantly - generally available.

But really, the Laga 21 is a phenomenal dram and worth dedicating an evening to getting to know on its own It has power and subtlety. It has layers that don't reveal themselves immediately. While at cask strength, it's one of the most sublime spirits on the palette. Take your time and do it right: open it, get a decent whisky glass (a Glencairn will do nicely) and spend a half hour just on the nose of this whisky. It has one of the best noses that I've ever had the pleasure of smelling. I'm probably hyping this up too much, but I'm pretty damn confident that you will be stoked

Have fun!