Оценка: 83/100.
П.С. В блога вече е налично повторното му ревю, което направих приблизително две години по-късно след написването на тази статия. При последващите срещи успях да оценя подобаващо продуктите на Лагавулин.
Lagavulin 16 y.o. single malt whisky
I decided to finish the series of Scotch whisky reviews with one of the titans among the smoky whiskies – Lagavulin 16 y.o. single malt whisky. Up until now I presented you the heavily peated Laphroaig 10 y.o. single malt whisky and the Irish peated whiskey /i.e. smoked with peat like some of its relatives from Scotland/ Connemara irish whiskey.
I had read that this representative of Lagavulin is characterized with about 40 ppm, suggesting that an enviable smoky presence awaits me. Let me interject that the strange abbreviation after the value 40 is the approved standart of indicating the content of phenol parts, that give the specific flavor at the smoking of the malt and is calculated as an amount per million. Now a few word about the brand. The distillery was founded in 1816 by John Johnston and is a part of the Diageo’s group of whiskies. I came across the version that the Johnson’s son founded the Laphroaig distillery, who later died tragically, by falling into a vat of boiling whisky. The histories of the two distilleries had remained closely tied through the following years, as in the most of the time their relationships measured in unfair trade practices, lawsuits, subsequent number of tricks and litigations. They came to the point that Lagavulin blocked off Laphroaig’s water supply, but the court decided in their favor and the arbitrarily actions ceased. The fight continued in the following century and Lagavulin had lead until 1998, but in that tipping year, Laphroaig won the round and came out on the top as the best-selling Islay scotch. And for finale – Lagavulin holds claim to Scotland’s slowest distillation with five hours for the first distillation and a further nine for the second. So much for the facts. Comes time for the „law“. 🙂
Aroma. Strong and expressive. Peaty, smoky, spicy, sweetish, watercolor paints, vanilla, grapefruit. Taste – strong, earthy, bitter and peppery, gingery, expectedly peaty. The finish is sweetish. Smoky, of medium length.
Assessment: 83/100.