Tastes

This is a good Lagavulin overall. A tad smokier than the Lagavulin 16, but less smoky than the Lagavulin 11 Offerman Charred Oak. Nice balance of sweet and smoke, and a decent finish.

Light smoke, slight medicinal smell. I like this more than Project XX. Sweet and smoky. 43% ABV

This peated Scotch smelled like Band-Aid and maybe leather. The palate is smoky and somewhat medicinal, but not as much as Talisker. It’s pretty good overall. 43% ABV

I finally got a bottle of Lagavulin 16, and it lives up to the hype. This is a wonderful, peated dram from Islay. The nose has a sweetness that is dominated by peat. The palate is buttery with lots of peat and a a little sweetness. The medium finish has a distinct ashiness to it. 43% ABV

The nose is sweet and smells like plums or grapes. The palate is sweet as well, with a little bitterness in the mid-palate, and the finish has lingering heat. Not as hot as I would have expected from 53.5% ABV.

I’ve had this one on my radar for a while now, and I was pleased when Ralfy picked it as his Whisky of the Year for 2023. Now that I have a bottle, I have to agree that it is very good. The nose is ashy and sweet. For a heavily peated Scotch, the palate is very well balanced. The peat is complimented nicely by the sweetness, and I detected a hint of butter in there as well. It has a nice, long finish, too. 50% ABV

This is an exceptional Scotch for the price; just an amazing value. The nose is sweet, reminiscent of wine or grapes, with a faint bit of honey and the slightest hint of peat. The palate is more honey and fruit with spice and a bit of salt. It has a medium finish, but the heat stays with you a bit longer. 46.8% ABV

I recently tried the Quinta Ruban 14 year, and I didn't like it; it was too bitter for my taste. But I'd heard that the Quinta Ruban 12 year was better, so when I saw a bottle collecting dust in a local liquor store, I thought I'd give it a try. Turns out that I like the Quinta Ruban 12 much more than the 14. The nose was sweet, like a dark chocolate or salted caramel. The palate, while not as sweet as the nose would suggest, was definitely not bitter. This is a very good sipping Scotch, but it's probably much harder to find after being replaced by the Quinta Ruban 14 year.