Lagavulin 12 and Laphroaig 10 CS

[islayjunkie]

My bottle of Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength arrived today from the UK. In excitement I ripped open the packaging, poured a dram and kicked back half of it... big mistake. Not nearly as smooth as Lagavulin 16 which I anticipated. After letting it breath for 20 minutes I tried again... much better.

Lagavulin 12 is definitely for sipping neat like however 1 part water to 2 parts malt makes a nice change. If drank neat small sips mellow better when mixed with saliva than Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength (red stripe).

It's been over a week since I tried my first bottle of Laphroaig 10 CS. I think the Laphroaig tastes more peaty initially than Lagavulin 12 however I'll need to do a side by side comparison again when I have a chance

The vanilla overtones of Laphroaig 10 CS make me prefer it over Lagavulin 12 on first impression. Both are very oily and hug the tongue. On the finish I like Lagavulin 12yo over Laphroaig 10 CS as it has a longer smokier/peatier and less bitter finish. Both are great in the liquorice category (Laphroaig has a tad more). Lagavulin 12 has more salt like the earlier 16 White Horse.

Compared to Lagavulin 16 (new Port Ellen) the 12yo CS is drier with less sherry overtones. It definitely packs more smoke/peat/salt like the older Lagavulin 16 White Horse bottlings. I really hope they let the majority of this 12 year old batch mature to 16 years of age!

Conclusion: Laphroaig 10 CS is a better value per dollar than Lagavulin 12 CS. Lagavulin 12 CS has a better finish but that's it. I'll be drinking Laphroaig 10 CS until the price of Lagavulin 12 CS comes down a bit. Don't spend more than 100.00 US on Lagavulin 12 CS unless you intend to save the first bottlings as a collectors item. If both were the same price I would drink both

Disclaimer: I'm an amature single malt drinker considering all I ever drank was Lagavulin16 White Horse back in 1994-95. I've tried quite a few other single malts in the past however I use Islays like Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig as my point of reference.

[bamber]

I've been pondering a bottle of the 12YO for quite a while. The third release is $74 in the UK, whereas the 10YO CS Laphroaig is $52 (always have some in the house).

The 16YO is absolutely essential for me. Does the 12YO fit into the same bracket ?

[islayjunkie]

Yes, in some ways I like the 12yo better because it is drier and the sherry balances out the peat better. The 16yo has a tad to much sherry and has lost the salt, iodine and heavy peat I remember in the older White Horse 16yo.

The newer Lagavulin Port Ellen 16yo is still smokier so I'll continue to stock up as long as I find it at $50.00. I was having a hard time distinguishing between smoke and peat until this morning when I smelled the 2 empty glasses I used to compare the 12yo to the 16yo. The 16yo glass smells like an ashtray and the 12yo more like the way Laphroaig 10 CS smelled in an empty glass.

I'm going to need another round of tasting in a few days once I get another bottle of Laphroaig 10 CS which I think is becoming my favorite.

Does anyone here have or know where to locate Lagavulin 16yo White Horse? I swear even after not tasting it for 10 years that was the best single malt ever made. I'd pay dearly for another bottle.

The new Port Ellen 16yo has replaced The Royal seal with the text 'By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen...' at the top of the label with a little picture of a boat and the text 'Lagavulin Distillery, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay. The label at the bottom of the bottle used to state 'White Horse Distillers Glasgow', now it says 'Port Ellen, Isle of Islay'

[bamber]

I shall put a bottle on my list

BTW not seen that older 16YO yo mention.

[islayjunkie]

If you want to taste what Lagavulin 16yo used to be then mix 2 parts 16yo to 1 part 12yo CS and add a splash of water.

The peat and salt from the 12yo comes through with a subtle but smoother finish... not the same as White Horse but closer

[bamber]

I shall give at go