LAGAVULIN 16 VS ARDBEG 10 VS TALISKER 10 VS LAPHROAIG 10

[v1p]

Hi, everyone! I'm from Sofia, Bulgaria and it's very interesting to me what's your personal favourite of these and why?

My vote goes to Lagavulin, but I have to say I haven't tried Ardbeg yet. To me Talisker is good value, but nothing special. It's like drinking JWR in concentrate and without sweeteners - Cardhu, grains, etc. Laphroaig is my least favourite because of the brutal, toneless, unnatural taste and finish /although the nose is intriguing/ - it's like drinking mix of diesel & iodine.

Thank you for your participation!

Sláinte!

[The Third Dram]

My vote goes to Lagavulin, but I have to say I haven't tried Ardbeg yet...

Until you do, then.

Each of these four can be (bottle consistency aside) a superlative whisky in its own right. But for me, Ardbeg 10 Year Old possesses that little bit extra in terms of clarity of expressiveness, complexity and, well, sheer excellence.

Welcome to the site, and cheers!

[Lucas]

Laga and Ardbeg play in a slightly different league than Talisker and Laphroaig for me.

Between Laga and Ardbeg it's really tough. It's like deciding between taking Jessica Alba or Eva Mendes for a date. You just want to take both.

Laga for me, but just.

[v1p]

Eva Mendes for me.

[jazz lover]

1.Talisker
2.Lagavulin
3.Laph.
4.Ardbeg

[matthew2512]

Lagavulin for me because it has more depth than the others. I love Ardbeg but dont fully understand all the hype around the 10 year old, although it is good value for money. I very much like the Talisker 10 but Lagavulin 16 still takes the lead. As for Laphroaig, i find the best stuff to be in independant bottlings.

[LagaDrinker]

Need you ask?

[Ganga]

I've been somewhat disappointed in the recent Lagavulin 16s. So clearly Ardbeg 10 (L5s anyone ) has a clear edge for me. If you placed the Tali 18 into the mix, that becomes my choice. I much prefer the 'Phroaig 15 to the 10. And I definitely prefer Laga 12 to Laga 16. Small change to the list will make some changes to my voting.

[v1p]

The poll is based on the standart bottlings, which are more accessible and affordable.

[I_SPEY]

This isn't difficult for me, so I'll vote for Lagavulin 16
Ardbeg has a very good second place for me!

[Ganga]

Um, Laphroaig 15 ($55-65) and Talikser 18 ($55-80) are quite available and also a fair bit less expensive than Laga 16 ($70-110). Well at least in my area. Laga 12 on the other hand is readily available but runs quite a bit more than the 16.

[v1p]

The only other bottlings currently available in my area are Laphroaig QC and Laphroaig 25 /€300/, while Lagavulin 16 is €45. I don't know, maybe I have to make a better research around. By the way, two days ago I tasted JW Blue - the best blend I have ever had. For me the roses will remain its distinctive mark. Gold is also superb, but Blue has the edge.

[Reggaeblues]

i voted Ardbeg as its the whisky I've drunk most of ver the past 5 years. Partly because Lagavulin 16 is much more expensive!

so in practical terms it is my favourite. Do i like it more than Lagavulin? Like the man said: Jessica Alba, or Eva Mendez?

I like the Laphroaig the least...but I still think it's a damn fine dram, so...what you're asking is hard!

and like someone else said, Talisker 18, if an option, would probbly beat 'em all. As would Lagavulin 12, over the 16

[triguy42]

Around here Laphroaig 10yr is $33, Ardbeg 10yr is $40, Talisker 10yr is $45 and Lagavulin 16yr is $85. Lagavulin is my favorite of the bunch, but which one do I drink the most of? Laphroaig. It's kind of a hard poll when one bottling is twice the cost of the rest...

[lpkchri1]

I'd probably go for the Lagavulin 16, but they are all great. If price is factored in, I would probably go for the Talisker 10.

[pkt77242]

My order
Lagavulin 16
Talisker 10
Ardbeg 10
Laph 10

Sean

[dramtastic]

For me it's Laga 16, I find it the most complex, balanced and consistently
yummy. I have AB10, LaphQC and Talisker 18 currently open and love them all but it's the Laga I save for special occassions.

Here in Australia pricing is roughly as follows

Ardbeg 10 AUD$85 but I have seen it on special for 70
Laphraoig 10 AUD$85
Lagavulin 16 AUD$93
Talisker 10 AUD$75
The Tali 10 gets a special mention for bang for your buck out of the four.
I'd also buy the LaphQC for 15 bucks more over the regular 10.

Cheers

[Knolly]

I've been somewhat disappointed in the recent Lagavulin 16s. So clearly Ardbeg 10 (L5s anyone ) has a clear edge for me. If you placed the Tali 18 into the mix, that becomes my choice. I much prefer the 'Phroaig 15 to the 10. And I definitely prefer Laga 12 to Laga 16. Small change to the list will make some changes to my voting.

I TOTALLY agree with this post. Talisker 18 is roughly the same cost as Lagavulin 16 and while I LOVE Lagavulin in general, Talisker 18 is IMHO the all around best value in quality single malt whisky available, period. It's a phenomenal whisky at a very "reasonable" cost.

But, since it's not in the OP's list, I voted for Lagavulin 16 The tough part is these four distilleries are among my personal favourites and I'm sure that I'm not the only one who way say this!

Cheers!

Ps: If you end up liking Ardbeg and Lagavulin, then I'm sure that at some time you'll start liking Laphroaig as well. It might not start with the 10yo, but it could easily start with the Quarter Cask, the 10yo Cask Strength, or the refined 15yo.

[Hereward]

I like all four, but for me it has to be Lagavulin by a short head from Ardbeg, with Laphroaig some distance behind and then a similarly large gap to Talisker.

[borgom]

My heart says Laga but recent sherry imbalances and light bodied bottlings have left me cold.
Laph 10 was an affordable favourite too but once again the change in profile (when it dropped from 43% to 40%) has left me mourning the whisky it once was.
I love Talisker 10 too but it's just not quite up to the quality of the other three.
So my votes with Ardbeg 10 for consistent high quality and not following the unfortunate commercial route of further dilution and colouring. It would have been a far more difficult decision for me had Laga and Laph been producing the same quality I remember so fondly a few years ago.

[v1p]

Ardbeg is less smooth & sweet than Lagavulin, isn't it?

[Wave]

Of the four Lagavulin 16 is the favorite but none of the four are really a 'personal favorite' unlike their cask strength equivalents.

Cheers!

[Reggaeblues]

Ardbeg is less smooth & sweet than Lagavulin, isn't it?

Hi and welcome to you in bulgaria, form undernath a foot of snow in UK>

Yes, it is...but that's why so many like it! \it's still smoother(Ardbeg) than Laphroaig...and also drier in mouthfeel than the Laga`vulin. But Ardbeg has a lot going on behind the "upfront" maritime personality.

there's a much subtler sweetness, even vanilla, and lemon/lime notes behind, and a looong clean finish.

I used to be in awe of Lag 16, but it does seem to have been variable over the last few years, as some have mentioned, and somehow not as pungent and rich as it was once. Ardbeg 10 is consisitent, at least.

[bankerjoe]

The only one I haven't had was Ardbeg 10. I really like the other three quite a bit, with the Lagavulin 16 having a slight edge.

[bjorn]

So clearly Ardbeg 10 (L5s anyone ) has a clear edge for me.

I went Ardbeg, too, by a hair. They're all almost equal, but Ardbeg is just a little more equal. Ganga, do I detect a preference for 2005 Ardbeg 10? I ask because so far it's the only Ardbeg I've tried and I'm curious what might set it apart from the others.

-Bjorn

[Aidan]

Laga 16 destroys those

I'll second that. Lagavulin has an extra 6 years in the cask, I suppose. But it's just about the best whisky available.

[lohssanami]

Laga does have more time on the other guys, and for that this is a bit unfair. It should win here, but between the 10 year olds, I choose:

Ardbeg 10
Talisker 10
Laphroaig 10

Give me a CS 10, and I like the Renaissance over Laph 10 by just a little.

[vrbin]

my ranking is:

1. Talisker 10
2. Lagavulin 16
3. Ardbeg 10
4. Laphroaig 10

[SoMK]

What a weird line up.. imho, the Laga 16 stands alone in there.

Between the 3 young ones, unless you are talking about the Laph 10 CS, I'd choose the L8 ardbeg ten (but the L6 is cool too)
Talisker 10 is super nice as well but more in a peperry/smoke rather than in a peaty/licorice kind of way...

[Lucas]

Ardbeg got battering there. I'm surprised. Renaissance would have won I think...

[Rob B]

Talisker 10
Laphroaig 10
Ardbeg 10
Lagavulin 16

[Aidan]

Ardbeg got battering there. I'm surprised. Renaissance would have won I think...

I don't know, of course, but I somehow doubt it. Probably not as many people have tried Renaissance either.

[Lucas]

Ardbeg got battering there. I'm surprised. Renaissance would have won I think...

I don't know, of course, but I somehow doubt it. Probably not as many people have tried Renaissance either.

It would have a decent chance if only the people who tried it voted;P
Have you had it yourself? It's awesome.

[Lucas]

I'm near the end of a Renaissance now and may finish it tonight. I still prefer the Laga 16

Oh I love Laga to bits. But R just swept me off my feet when I tried it again a few days ago. I will be buying myself a bottle for my birthday this month.
I compared it with Beist and Uigeadail in one tasting and I found it a clear winner.

[Aidan]

I've had it and really liked it. I think I might prefer the old Ardbeg 10, but I haven't tried them together. I prefer the old Ten to the new 10.