Lagavulin 12 CS, Lagavulin 16 or Lagavulin 25 CS

[PuckJunkie]

I would vote for the 16 (I didn't), but only because I'm bitterly angry I can get neither the 12 CS nor the 25 here. So they taste like... hmmm... resentment.

That being said, the Lagavulin 16 is easily one of my favorite bottles of whisky - probably my favorite of easily obtainable bottles under $100 USD.

Puck

[Deadman]

I have the 12Y CS, the 16Y, the Distillers Edition 1989 and soon the 25Y. So far it's very tight between all of the three first ones, but I fell in love with the 16Y so I vote for it. I've also got two (maybe) Lagavulin, Smokehead and Signatory Vintage Islay Cask Strength, 5 Years Old, Smokehead has in my mouth the same finsish as Lagavulin 16Y, but not as complex. The signatory isn't opened yet.
If someone knows if they are young Lagavulins, please tell me...

[bamber]

Welcome to the forum.

There are a few young Islays that have been accused of being Lagavulin:

Signatory Vintage Islay Malt (Jim Murray says it's Lagavulin, but it tastes of Caol Ila to many)
Macleod's Islay 8yo

[hpulley]

I tried the CS Sig Islay thinking it was Caol Ila but from the taste it could be Lagavulin. They have similar peated malt going in the mashbill and at that young age it seems hard to tell which it is. Definitely not Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Bruichladdich or Bunnahabhain though.

Harry

[bamber]

I thought Lagavulin when I first tasted it. Who knows ? Maybe it's been both (assuming there has been more tha 1 bottling). I'd swear the colour has changed over time.

[scoobypl]

I happen to know the people who were behind the idea of the "Vintage series" by Signatory... and yes the 5 year old vintage islay can be both whisky's that are named here (Lagavulin and Caol Ila)... How to distinguish between the 2? Pretty simple: the Vintage Islay was Lagavulin untill the 2003 season, after that it changed to Caol Ila. So if you have an unopened bottle bought 2004-2005-2006 there is a big chance (if it wasn't sitting on the shelf for years) that it will be caol Ila.

[scoobypl]

The best Lagavulin?... If the choice is limited to the 12CS, the 16yo and the 25... I would vote for the 16yo... The 12yo being to 'unpolished'...
BTW...one should distiguish between the different batches (different alcoholpercentage!) of the 12CS... the first 3 releases were noticably different! I liked the first very much, the second a lot less, and the third was better again...later series I have not tried...
However, there is a lot more then these 3 to be enjoyed!
Of the contemporary bottles my favourites are the 2 Mission Series by Murray McDavid (both distilled 1979)
but even better than these, and better than anything contemporary I have ever tasted from Lagavulin, are the early 12year Old Lagavulins...
Lagavulin 12yo OB 43% bottled in 1973 blows every other Lagavulin I know out of the water!!!

[Di Blasi]

The 12 year old blew me away when I tasted it last year, so I finally got my own bottle recently. It's my favorite so far of the 3, but I have yet to taste the 25 year old, which I wonder about. I remember the 12y being so spicy mandarin like on the lips, surprising!

[Mr Fjeld]

I haven't tasted the 25 but I much prefer the 16 over the 12. A little sherry character really goes well with Lagavulin.

Christian