Tastes

This whisky has such richness and complexity, and it’s mostly because of the maturation. It’s been aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels and finished in American New Oak barrels from Kelvin cooperage in Kentucky. This gives it the richness that a lot of bourbons have. It doesn’t have barrel bite like bourbons do, but the barrel richness is very much there. While the barrel imparts vanilla flavors in bourbon, it imparts char notes in this. And it perfectly compliments the classic fruit flavors in Glenfiddich. Plus, the 14 years allows these flavors to harmonize quite beautifully. The char notes are quite spectacular. I highly recommend this to any fan of whisky.

This is one of those whiskies that’s great for the holidays just because of how spicy and perfume-like it is. These jump out of the glass when you smell it. You get this beautiful cascade of perfume, spices, and potpourri. It’s truly quite beautiful. On the palate you get the warm vanilla from the wood followed by rich spiciness from the rye. The finish is beautifully smooth and elegant and leaves this wonderfully floral and fruity notes in your mouth. I’m more used to bourbon and Scotch, but for something different to turn to that has a bunch of flavors and richness, this is the way to go.

Right off the bat, you can see how light this is from other bourbons. On the nose, the first thing that hits you is peanuts. This is a big flavor contributed by the Port barrels. Underneath the peanut flavors you get some nice walnut, caramel, and butterscotch. Past those flavors is the classic vanilla and floral notes that most bourbons have. I love the multilayered character of this bourbon a lot. On the palate, this has got to be one of the smoothest and easy-drinking bourbons I’ve ever had. It doesn’t have really any barrel bite. I wish the finish was a little bit fuller and longer, but other than that it’s a great bourbon and something that’s absolutely enjoyable to drink.

This whiskey is quite light, even for an Irish whiskey. The unmalted barley notes don’t really come through until the finish. It is really easy to drink and is almost refreshing. There are some caramel notes in the finish and the unmalted barley notes remind you of a whole grain cereal of sorts. It’s a smooth whiskey and I’d use this whiskey to introduce someone to whiskey. Other than that I don’t think it’s anything terribly special. It’s floral and fruity and sweet, but you can find those things in a Speyside Scotch, but with a bigger punch of flavor.

This whisky is quite simply delicious. It’s not too challenging and is quite smooth. The candied honeycomb flavors are most prominent but deliver such deliciousness that it makes it worth drinking. I would love to try this in some black tea because it could add some sweetness. It is quite an enchanting whisky and it’s beautiful light fruit and honey flavors means it’s perfect for getting someone into Scotch.

On the nose, it is actually quite complex. You get the classic apple juice notes that come with the standard Glenfiddich, but there are more interesting fruit flavors in the forefront that come from the IPA casks. You get some of the hops on the nose as well as some orange flavors. On the palate, there is some bitterness from the hops. BUT, it can be challenging to pick this up if you’re used to bourbon and Distiller Edition Scotches as these have natural wood bitterness. That being being said, however, if you do like bourbon and Distiller Edition Scotches, then you’ll love this because that wood complexity from the IPA casks adds something that is missing in some standard Speyside Single Malts. The fruit and hops from the IPA also shines through which means it’s more exciting that standard apple and honey notes of basic Highland Scotches. This is overall quite unique and a great way to broaden one’s horizons if you’re into different wood expressions of known Scotches.

Lagavulin is the distillery that keeps on giving. I currently have the Lagavulin 16, 8, and Distillers Edition, with this being the most recent addition to this collection. And I can honestly say that this is probably the best offering that I’ve had from Lagavulin. On the nose it has everything you’d expect from Lagavulin from the dark citrus notes to the light and fresh smoke. But the interplay between these is incredible. On the palate, there is some oil that gives you a punch, but overall it is relatively smooth. The flavors that reveal themselves include orange peel, brine, seaweed, and playful smokiness. The finish is long and inviting. This is quite expensive compared to other offerings from Lagavulin, but in my opinion it’s worth the money for an experience such as this one.

On the nose it smells quite good. The nose isn’t all that challenging and the notes of wood and vanilla are very prominent as with any bourbon. On the palate, though, it’s different than anything I’ve had. I have to chase it around as it changes every other second. It is also light-bodied, but it is still rich. It’s very good for people who want something different.

On the nose, it appears much sharper than the 16. It also isn’t as dark. The 16 harbors more dark fruits and damp earthiness, but the 8 is fresh and floral. It is also slightly nuttier than the 16. The smoke in this 8 is more intense than the 16. The amount of smoke is relatively similar, but the smoke stands out slightly more in the 8 because the smoke isn’t as blended with the rest of the flavors like it is in the 16. On the palate, it does punch you more than the 16. This is partly due to the higher ABV (48% vs 43%). The other part is the age. It being half as old as the standard Lagavulin 16, this whisky hasn’t had that extra 8 years to round out and smoothen all its edges. It is still a Lagavulin and it is still an exceptional whisky. This is one you can call a “go to” because it has the body, richness, and complexity without being over the top special. While not as smooth and silky as the 16, it is still comparable to other whiskies in the price range which makes it a great option for someone who wants what Lagavulin has to offer at a lower price than the standard 16.

This is such a unique whisky. It is smooth and delicious but that smoke is intense. But, it’s not so oily to the point where it burns a hole in your mouth. There are medicinal notes for days, but there’s not as much salty brine one might find in an Ardbeg. This whisky is delicious and is my go to whisky when eating steak.