Lagavulin - 20th December - 7pm GMT

[pkt77242]

Now onto some Lagavulin 1991 DE.

Colour: a wonderful orangish, like a sunset on the beach
N: cinnamon, red fruit, sweet sherry, smoke, cocoa and ginger
P: cinnamon, cranberry/raspberry juice, smoke and lots of sherry.
F: some peat shows up at first but then finishes with chocolate and sherry.

I really enjoy this and usually it is my favourite but tonight I think that I enjoyed the 12 more. Maybe I should have done them in reverese order.


Sean

[Ryguy]

I know exactly what you're saying Sean, the 12 can be very overpowering, and can really take away from the DE. I still prefer the 12yo over the 16yo, I think it just has more to offer. But when you're talking about the 21, well that's a different story.

[Ryguy]

Lagavulin 12yo ( 58%, OB, 1st Release 2002 )

Nose: Very nice wood smoke with a hint of sea breeze and something sweet, but I can't really tell what.

Palate: Surprisingly sweet, with a hint of vanilla, and loads of peat.

Finish: Long and extremely tasty, a peat fire burns in my mouth!

Comment: I really prefer Lagavulin at CS, I just think it has more to offer. This has everything, so balanced and just a great dram!

[Ryguy]

Lagavulin 21yo ( 56.5%, Original Bottling 1985/2007, 5778/6642 )

Nose: Wow, now this stuff has it all! Some burnt wood (oak), hints of leather, and an ongoing peat fire, also a hint of toffee.

Palate: Very smooth and balanced, sweet sherry, peat, and just about everything else that I love in a dram. The sherry influence is not overpowering, but just right. Loads of peat as this one goes on, Tasty!

Finish: The finish is long and perfect, I could chew on this all night! Lots of smoke, some salt and it becomes a bit drying, but in a very good way. The smokiness lingers forever!!!

Did I mention I absolutely love this stuff?

[pkt77242]

Ryguy,

I was paying more attention to the fact that the DE is more of a desert whisky and so was saving it for last. Well maybe tomorrow I will have them again and reverse the order and post my notes and see if it changes.


Sean

[Ganga]

Sorry, I was tied up all day yesterday.

I have a sample of Lagavulin DE 1988 poured into a large brandy glass.

Nose: Initially I was smelling a bonfire stoked by heather. It's been sitting here for awhile caramel (artificial?). Bonfire is gone but left with a bit of acetone and diesel with some sweet malty highlights and seaspray. Still further on some sweet citrus (grapefruits?).

Palate: Wow, charred caramel and popcorn.

Finish: Like a fire as the embers burn down.

[Spirit of Islay]

Sorry, I was tied up all day yesterday.....

Bit too much information about what you and the Missus get up to Rich.....

Really good set of tasting notes , enjoyed doing the one's i've got , same there wasn't a bit more diversity though , slight lack of I.B.'s by the look of it and the O.B. range isn't that big compared with others .

[Ras Mazunga]

Forgot about the tasting yesterday so I will have to make it up today.
Starting with a 12yo 48%.
n: leather, smoke, raisins, oak and a lot of oranges
t: like the nose with a lot of white pepper. nice
f: more the raisins and the wood than the leather and smoke.

Thank you I_Spey for the samples of Laga 12 and 16.

[pkt77242]

Really good set of tasting notes , enjoyed doing the one's i've got , same there wasn't a bit more diversity though , slight lack of I.B.'s by the look of it and the O.B. range isn't that big compared with others .

I wish there was a larger OB range but at least the ones that are there are very good.

Sean

[Ras Mazunga]

On to the 16yo:
n: less smoke than the the 12yo which seems tarry compared to this one. also far less leathery dryness, more vanilla and sweets, (white) wine, wood, lime, the association with bonfires on the beach is coming later.
t: round with vanilla and a lot reminds me of olive oil somehow.
f: nice pepper that completes the bonfire with kippers.
c: a subtle whisky that I didn't appreciate before.

[Ras Mazunga]

Springbank 21, 56.5%. Thanks a lot for this beauty Stuart.

n: a little sniff is already nosefilling. very beatiful sherry influence figs and walnuts. lots of wood, smoke, tea and ginger. getting better and better. some red fruits appear as in port(I'm hallucinating now)
t: tea, smoke, wood and the nescessary dirt to make it interesting, very interesting!
f: woody, peppery some matchsticks but nice. probably impossible but I'm getting flashbacks of red berries like raspberries and wild berries.
c: the leather from the 12 and 16 seems to have evolved from leather to tea and the oranges and lime to ginger.

The 12 smells very malty, like boricha(korean barley tea) after this mature 21yo.

[Ryguy]

Great notes everyone, I enjoyed reading through them. I agree that it's just too bad that the OB range is so limited, but I do know one thing, I need to buy a bottle of the 12yo now.

[Reggaeblues]

Was that a Springer or a Laga, Ras?

My sentiments entirely...