Smoke meets sherry notes

Aroma: Intense peat smoke, earthy notes, a fresh sea breeze, and a hint of iodine. Complex sherry aromas and vanilla round out the picture.

Taste: Strong peat smoke, a bit of iodine, sweet malt, and roasted oak. Light heather herbs and hay join in.

Finish: Very long, with dried fruits, campfire smoke, and malt.

The Lagavulin 16 is the proud flagship of the distillery of the same name on the shores of the southern coast of Islay in Scotland. Islay whisky is famous for its typical, exquisite, and heavily peated, smoky whisky among connoisseurs and enthusiasts around the world, especially the Lagavulin 16. The single malt Scotch whisky from Lagavulin is the most well-known whisky of the distillery and is part of its standard range. A 16-year-old standard has almost become a rarity today, which makes this standard particularly special. The Lagavulin 16yo has already been awarded gold multiple times at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

The Lagavulin 16 years, bottled at 43% ABV, is characterized by a dark amber color and develops an immediately impressive aroma defined by intense peat, smoke, earthy notes, and a strong hint of iodine. The finishing in ex-sherry casks can soften these extreme notes with impressions of sherry and vanilla, framing them with an elegant touch. On the palate, the Lagavulin 16 years single malt is also impressively intense and delights the connoisseur with a successful blend of smoke, peat, and iodine, complemented by a long aftertaste of dried fruits and a fine malty note. Despite its intensity from the heavily peated malt, the Lagavulin behaves softer and more elegant compared to its neighboring distilleries Laphroaig and Ardbeg, which is certainly due to the long 16 years of barrel aging!

Background

Lagavulin was founded in 1816 by John Johnston through the legalization of a black distillery that had existed for at least 70 years. Unlike most of the other nine distilleries on Islay, Lagavulin produces only a relatively small range of different whiskies, which mainly differ in the duration of their aging. Today, Lagavulin belongs to Diageo and represents the malty peaty character of the island of Islay in the famous 'Classic Malts' series. When the heavily smoky malt was added to the series in 1989, no one in the company really believed in its success, as the intense peat smoke was rather unpopular at that time. How much general taste has changed over time (thankfully) is evident today. Lagavulin is the second best-selling single malt of the famous island of Islay after its direct neighbor Laphroaig and one of the bestsellers in the Diageo range! To meet the international demand for this outstanding single malt, the distillery operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

Lagavulin 16 in Test

The single malt Scotch whisky from Lagavulin has been named the 'King of Islay' by whisky connoisseurs. No smoky single malt advocate can pass by this classic. It is not for nothing that it is the best-selling Islay Scotch whisky. It is popular for its dry smoky notes and iodine aromas. It's a bit like campfire romance, while the wild, rough sea makes its presence felt in the background. The Lagavulin 16 years is often compared to the scent of a cold grill that has previously cooked pulled pork. The penetrating smoke harmonizes beautifully with the sweet caramel notes that come through after a short while on the palate. With every single sip, both the sea and a lot of salt resonate. Sweet sherry elements also present themselves from time to time.
The Lagavulin 16 years is a smoky wonder that also works well in a smoky whisky sour. For fans of peaty whiskies, the Islay malt is a must and should at least land in your glass once. Compared to well-known Ardbeg bottlings, the Lagavulin 16 is noticeably fruitier. When compared to a Caol Ila, the Lagavulin impresses with a better balance. It is no coincidence that the Scotch single malt has multiple awards, including at the San Francisco World Spirits competition, under its belt. The Lagavulin 16 also makes a good gift for fans of peaty whiskies.

Is Lagavulin 16 suitable for beginners?

At first glance, the typical beginner whisky is not the Lagavulin 16 single malt Scotch whisky. However, if you want to explore the world of smoky whiskies, you cannot pass by the Lagavulin 16. You should keep in mind that smoky whisky polarizes - either you like it or it is not your thing at all. You can find this out well with the Lagavulin 16 as a beginner. Trying is better than studying.

What is the ppm value of Lagavulin 16?

Lagavulin is known for its dry smoky aromas. However, seaweed, sulfur, and gentian are also part of the house style of the distillery. For this house style, Lagavulin uses malt with an estimated 35-40 ppm (parts per million) peat content.
Compared to Lagavulin's neighbors on Islay, the peat content is even relatively low. For example, Ardbeg has around 55 ppm as standard.

Lagavulin (Salos, Islay, Pietų pakrantė)

Lagavulin distilerijos istorija prasideda 1816 metais. Kaip ir daugelis distilerijų Škotijoje, Lagavulin iš pradžių buvo viena iš daugelio nelegalių distilerijų šiandien legendinėje saloje Islay. Išvertus, Lagavulin (tariama: Laggawulin) reiškia „duobė, kur stovi malūnas“.

Šiandien distilerija yra viena iš populiariausių vieno miežių viskių pasaulyje. Sunkus, dūminis Lagavulin charakteris, derinamas su aromatiniais džiovintais vaisiais iš šery statinių, daro šį Islay viskį praktiškai neatsispiriamą. 

Namo stilius: Sausas, dūminis, tamsių vaisių, kompleksinis. Ideali stiprybė prie laužo ar žvejojant. 

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