Perhaps more than any other spirit, theres an inherently complicated nature to scotch whisky. Fake whiskey. This is a perfect starting point for those first wading into Scottish waters. Highland Park 18 Year Read More. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links. Its 12-year-old expression has a delightful smoky sweetness, complemented by herbs and spices that show why this distillery has been around since 1846. I dont like that theyre massive and tend to focus on efficiency. My then-unrefined palate thought the flavors seemed like a peppery, smokey mocha drink. But the Oban is probably more typical of the Highland style, with distinctive smokey notes as well. For the two single malts my feeling are mixed, because the two havent failed me yet, but are just so accessible and can be too easy to drink at times. Tasted like wet cigarette ash It has a unique distillery character and the 10 offers youthful punch but mature enough to iron out any rough edges. The result is a subtle spiciness that gives the scotch just a little punch, perfect for sipping on over the course of an evening. This whisky is creamy and smooth and pleasantly warm. Lagavulin 16 costs more and so it should considering the age and sherry. Novices should start by exploring the regions of Scotland. Tyler Duffy, Associate Editor. Highland Park Distillery is based on the largest of the wild, peat-filled islands off of the northern tip of Scotland. . Would be interesting to see a vertical of this. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world, Thinking About Black Wine Business Beyond Black History Month, Whisky Review: Compass Box, Benriach, Tobermory, And More, Vibrant Whites, Distinctive RedsAppreciating The Wines Of Friuli, Appreciating Some Of Italys Lesser Known Varietals And Grapes, Wine Cocktails That Take The Chill Off Winter, Bacardis Latest Cask Finished Rum Expressions Are Exceptional, The Worlds Best BourbonAccording To The 2023 World Whiskies Awards. When referring to Scotch, use the term "whisky" and not "whiskey.". Plus, today, July 27th, is National Scotch Day! I came to this through my father's bottles, which were typically a collection of things that supermarkets sold on discount on occasion: Glenmorangie Laphroaig, Talisker, and Penderyn. Since we are referring to a Diageo product, Lagavulin 16 has color added, which gives the liquid . When peat was burned to kiln malted barley, however, the smoke would be absorbed by the grain, a phenomenon referred to as peat reek, and it would be passed on to the whisky. I think the T10 has been more consistent than the L16 tbh. Oily mouthfeel paired with a honey sweetness and a very acrid, slightly woody taste that I cannot place. Once it has been germinated and dried, the barley is combined with water and yeast which converts the natural sugars in the barley into alcohol. Lagavulin, what are you doing? Finally, the ppm phenol in spirit drops over time. The second portion undergoes a chocolate roast, a higher temperature kilning that imparts flavors of milk chocolate and coffee to the resulting whisky. I did Ardbeg 10 last year. The flavors of the Highlands are too diverse to pin down with a single broad stroke; the region is so big that its home to distilleries that represent the entire flavor spectrum. The phenolic compounds that give peated whiskies their pronounced medicinal character are concentrated in the cell walls of the moss. If you can, try to match the tasting notes with the aromas and ingredients you recognized earlier. When I am in the mood for Islay, uigeadwil And Lag 16 are my go to drams. At the end is even a lighter taste of ashiness, which reminds me of burnt bell peppers. The primary tasting notes across the whiskies are peat and fruit, with additional notes of sea salt, honey, and spice differing across the variations. Distributed by Diageo and another core staple of the classic malt series ( I have previously reviewed Oban 14 here), Lagavulin 16 is the apex product of the Islay distillery. Look at the Lagavulin Distillers Edition or the Laphroaig PX Cask. The peat pretty much saves this whisky. Since I hadnt had three of the four in a long while, it would serve a purpose regardless of any sales pitch. The youngest whisky in this blend is 11 years old, which makes a nice contrast to Lagavulin's best-known expression, the 16-year-old, perhaps the quintessential Islay malt. Theres no better time to celebrate. Required fields are marked *. I take the samples from a bottle on my shelf which has been filled in 2019 and has been opened a while ago. The official tasting notes of the judging panel describe the Lagavulin 16 YO as. Peated whiskies that are finished in sweet wine casks add sweetness and dried fruit flavors over the smoke and medicinal character imparted by peat. The finish is long and pleasantly warm, leaving an aftertaste of oak, baking spice and salt. The Ndurra line is named for the fact that its released non-chill-filtered and at cask strength, or natural. While the rough cut Ndurra is fantastic and the winner of Double Gold at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, those who want a little more refinement should look no further than The Glenlivet 18. 105. Floral and dried dark fruit on the tongue with a balanced long finish with a soft layer of honey. This dense and often rich spirit isnt something to sit down and drink quickly, rather, its the spirit for long conversations among good friends. In general, bottles coming from Islay, such as Laphroaig and Ardbeg, are the smokiest. These refill casks would be sent to Lagavulin. (As a side note: as Diageo and Talisker continue to grow, I hope they dont shorten Taliskers 65-hour fermentation in wooden mash tuns. Malting is done by steeping the barley in water and leaving it to germinate on a malting floor. (182.86 per litre) A magnificent whisky. Learn how it compares to the Caol Ila 12! Charl loves to learn about new products and tries everything he writes about. Flavor is rich, with a deliciousblast of smoke, caramel, along fruity sweetness. In between those are light aromas of mandarin oranges, burnt lint, ashes, more citrus peels and digestive biscuits. Its core line-up is packaged without fuss or frills, making them a great value (Glenfarclas 12 is great for those on a budget) and the 17 year just gets it right. Talisker 10 YO, Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The long aging period diminished the smoky notes a bit whilst adding the sweet vanilla from the bourbon barrels. This particular expression spends 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels before 30% is transferred to Oloroso Sherry butts. This purchase was done after many ownership changes from the initial day of inception to being purchased by Diageo. I love them both and feel no need to choose between them other than bowing to one in particular because of how I feel at the time. The longer fermentation makes Caol Ilas whisky much fruitier. Made exclusively from malted barley, single malt is made in a multi-step process. Between the butterscotch and caramel are the mocha notes I get on the nose. Our editors independently select the products we recommend. SRP: $94.99. Ewan also gave out more information that was new to me. Ill be reviewing them in the coming weeks. Glenfarclas is one of the few remaining family owned and operated distilleries in all of Scotland. Lagavulin 16 anos . Both Lagavulin and Oban have an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 43% (86 proof). As the ice melts, it will water down the beverage too much which will affect the taste of the whisky. ), 45.8% ABV. This means that neither is stronger on average, although Lagavulin has some whisky variations that have a higher alcohol content with some reaching an ABV of 57,3% (114,6 proof). The Blended Scotch Whisky of the Year was Insurrection Single Grain Scotch, 25 YO, 55% ABV, 750 ml, $299. It dates back to 1794 when it was founded by the brothers John and Hugh Stevenson in the Port of Oban which was named after the distillery and not the other way around! Beginning in 2010, the distillery releases its 12 year expression, which blends juice aged in bourbon and sherry cask, semi-annually at cask strength. No, not just because it takes more time to create, but those extra years really pack on the flavor intensity more powerful than youd imagine. The Macallan and Mortlach, for example, both had an element of peated whisky once, although they dont today. The French describe the first taste of great Burgundy as the moment when Jesus dances on your tongue. Citrus and dark fruit lay on the mouth with a soft awareness of oak that continues on the balanced finish with a light layering of vanilla. A single grain Scotch whisky is not a Scotch whisky from a single grain but rather a grain whisky, typically from multiple grains, i.e., a blended whisky, from a single distillery. Those who love a unique blend of tastes in their scotch will be extremely taken with GlenDronachs Single Malt 12-Year Scotch Whisky. Particularly with Scottish single malts, some criteria must be considered that lead to this being a superior whisky. Palate: Honey smoked meats paired with fruit like grapes and berries. I am guessing this is due to grain whisky having less distillate flavor, which means the flavors the grain whisky leaves behind in the cask wont be noticeable. He said that Skye doesnt have a lot of peat bogs, and the ones that exist are small since Skye is basically a huge rock. I think its just hard to not like Talisker 10. Bottled at 61.5% ABV, this is reminiscent of what Glenlivet would have tasted in the early 19th century. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. This single malt was aged for 14 years in ex-bourbon barrels and you can tell as there are many bourbon-like notes in it. This scotch hits too many wrong notes for me; the score is only this high because I cannot bring myself to believe that I don't like such a highly regarded whisky. But for those of us who want a bit more sherry sweetness, from the finishing months spent in Amoroso casks, this is a must. Lagavulin Whisky was established in 1816 by John Johnston in the isle of Islay between Ardbeg and Laphroaig. I asked Ewan if he could describe how Isle of Skye peat compares to Islay peat. To be considered a single-grain Scotch whisky, the juice must be made at one distillery from a single grain like corn or wheat and it can be malted or unmalted. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ad13b63b4b51edb14a2cc838da0b2be4" );document.getElementById("f7847b31c6").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And smooth and pleasantly warm extremely taken with GlenDronachs single malt was aged for 14 years oban 14 vs lagavulin 16 barrels! The Highland style, with distinctive smokey notes as well in 2019 and has been opened a while ago second... 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