Which Lagavulin do you prefer?

by **Sherried Malt** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:21 am

Ryan's Lagavulin line-up tonight got me thinking... Of the regular bottlings in the range (12, 16 and DE) which one do you prefer and why?

I'm going with the DE. I think the sherry sweetness is a great counterpoint to the peat and smoke. Lots of nice contrasts in a single dram.

What do you think?

by **Muskrat Portage** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:23 am

I've never been 100% in a poll before...probably 'cause I was the first to vote. So far DE is winning.
Musky

by **UUNetBill** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:26 am

Well, I had to vote for the 16 as I've never had the DE before. Also, I didn't want MP to be the only voice in here tonight!

by **Sherried Malt** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:28 am

Duh, I just realized I didn't vote!

That's been corrected and Musky's back in the majority.

by **UUNetBill** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:33 am

Yep, there you have it - SM keepin' us minorities down. . .time to rise up against da man. . .

:mrgreen:

by **Muskrat Portage** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:38 am

But, I really DO like the DE. Nice to be back in the majority, keeping the downtrodden in their place.

Musky

by **orangedogofglory** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:16 am

chalk me up for DE

by **Dubois** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:24 am

12 Yrs for me...one of my favorite malts ever

by **LagaDrinker** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:24 am

It has to be the DE for me too. I also have the 21 & 25 yr old but not opened them yet.

by **Knolly** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:38 am

LagaDrinker wrote:It has to be the DE for me too. I also have the 21 & 25 yr old but not opened them yet.

LagaDrinker:

Do yourself a HUGE favour and open the 21 YO!!! It is AWESOME!

Seriously, the three regular bottles are all great, but the 21 YO is on a completely different level.

It has the intensity of the 12, the smoothness of the 16 (even smoother which is crazy because of the much higher ABV) and a nose and complexity that puts the DE to shame in a serious way.

When I first opened it, it took me over half an hour to actually taste the whisky - I just couldn't stop smelling it. The bouquet is phenomenal.

I know, I know, I'm spouting off (and everyone's opinion is different), but it is absolutely one of the best bottles that I have ever, EVER tasted - truly an amazing whisky.

OH - BTW, I voted for the "staple" 16YO in the poll

, though I do love them all!

Cheers!

by **Sherried Malt** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:50 am

Knolly, don't hold back. What do you really think about the Laga 21?

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:28 pm

Without doubt the 16yo Standard is very hard to beat and is still my fav...

by **Ryguy** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 12:40 pm

Nice poll SM. The Lagavulin hit the spot last night. It's too bad I had to stop at the 21yo.

I agree with Knolly on the 21, it is truly a special bottle. It way out does the other 3 IMO. As for choices here, I'm voting for the 12, because I just love whisky at CS period. The DE is a close 2nd though. :smoke:

by **I_SPEY** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:39 pm

At this moment I'm still going for the 16, but when I have had more than 5/6 drams of the 12, maybe I'll have to change my vote :roll:

by **Spirit of Islay** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:34 pm

Either the 8yo , 15yo or the 1966 we had at the Feis Ile !

by **TheShrink** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:25 pm

16 year old for me, every time.

by **Glen Lovett** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:40 pm

The Distillers Ed is the first Whisky I tasted that made me realise that Whisky was so much more than Bells, Grouse etc. It's the whisky that got me into whisky and is still my favourite dram!!!! I still have about 2ml left in the bottle and has been the same level for about the last 4 years as I cannot bear to be without it!!!!!!!

by **lexvo** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:41 pm

16Y for me too. Although the 12 and DE are very close, I like the all-around character of the 16.

As a matter of fact the Lagavulin 16 is my favourite whisky

by **lincoln imp** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:24 pm

lawschooldrunk wrote:extremely let down by the DE. It's damn good but didn't reach the the hype in my mind. I'd buy 16 over DE any day.

Me too. I am not a peat head and even i like this one. I like it alot. Its probably one of my favourite winter drams.

by **Ganga** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:44 pm

Hands down for me, it's the 12. No question, no doubt.

My favorite Laga of all is the MMcD Mission 1979, 23 yo. :thumbsup:

by **Jimmy321** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:52 pm

I am not going to vote, i can't really split the DE and the 16yo, over time some have been better than the other.

by **Knolly** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:18 pm

Sherried Malt wrote:Knolly, don't hold back. What do you really think about the Laga 21?

Enough that once I tried my first bottle, I immediately "stockpiled" up on it afterwards!!!

Actually IMO, the 2007 Diageo special releases from Islay were all solid bottlings: the PE is pretty damn good, but the Laga 21 and the Brora 30 are both phenomenal (though costly) bottles.

The trick now is to find bottles as good as these without paying such a high price. And, as good as Ardbeg Ten is, there is NO way that Ardbeg Ten is even close to Lagavulin 21 (or some of the kick ass 1970's Ardbegs for that matter) in my opinion despite what Mr. Murray says in the Whisky Bible...

Cheers!

by **Sherried Malt** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 11:20 pm

lawschooldrunk wrote:extremely let down by the DE. It's damn good but didn't reach the hype in my mind. I'd buy 16 over DE any day.

LSD, good to see you around here. Where've you been??

by **Wave** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:20 am

I agree with Ganga about the 12yo CS an excellent whisky, in fact I liked the original 12yo (43%) better than the 16 which is still a fine whisky in itself. I tasted the DE while in Scotland in May and really wasn't all that impressed, the 21 however blew me away, too bad it's not in the poll because it would get my vote! Luckily I have a 2nd bottle of it stashed for future reference.

Cheers!

by **MacLlyr** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:29 am

They are all very good, but I must confess that I prefer the cask strength of the 12 YO neat. It is not only a great dram, but also a good drunk!

by **lohssanami** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:34 am

I've only had the 16 and the DE, but I had to go with the 16. I found a bottle of 4th edition 12 the other day at a liquor store, but they wanted $179.99. I just couldn't pay that much!

by **Wave** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:51 pm

lohssanami wrote:I found a bottle of 4th edition 12 the other day at a liquor store, but they wanted $179.99. I just couldn't pay that much!

Yeah, thats a tad on the high side!

I paid just under $100 apiece for several bottles last year (2004 edition) at Binny's and I still though that was a little more than it should be, but I would definitely order the Laga 12 direct from Scotland before I paid that price of $180!

Cheers!

by **Klas** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:30 pm

Lagavulin DE for me.
I had the 1984 and 1986 bottles (distilled) and I just loved them.
:thumbsup:

by **mikeymad** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:57 pm

I really like the 12CS and I do prefer it, but the standard 16yo is so good, and for the price I think that it is a great buy.

Ganga's MMcD is really good as well.

Cheers,

by **kyorke1** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:57 pm

I'm going with the DE. I think the sherry sweetness is a great counterpoint to the peat and smoke. Lots of nice contrasts in a single dram

This is what I found, DE for me, I find it just has a little more character.

by **DrChimRichalds** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:41 am

Hard to beat the Lag 16. Perfection in a bottle and only $59.99 at hi times in So Cal. right now.
:insane:

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:35 am

None. I do not like Lagavulin.

by **Willie JJ** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:28 am

It's all good I think, but I like the slightly rawer edge and extra strength of the 12 most.

by **Ras Mazunga** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:02 pm

Only had the 16. Finished this one a few weeks ago, it wasn't until the last dram that I liked it.

by **sievm** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:31 pm

I voted for the 16 but I like them all. The 16 was the first dram I ever had - my Dad's favourite - and I've loved it ever since. I just love the intensity of the 16.

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