Tastes
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Lagavulin 26 Year (2021 Special Release)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 14, 2022 (edited July 25, 2022)Ok, games are over, lets review some seriously old Lagavulins i had the pleasure and luck to taste at the distillery. I will start this series of critics with a super good looking, limited expression, the Lagavulin 26yo Lion's Jewel 2021 special release. This is one of two of Diageo's Special Releases; the other one, the 12yo Cask strength wasn't super impressive, but i was eager to try this very expensive 26 years old one, which is still to this date the oldest "Laga" i have ever had. Bottled at 44.2%abv, matured in first fill PX casks and Oloroso sherry seasoned butts. The legend of the Lion's Jewel goes as follows: "hidden within his den on Islay bay, The King of Islay guarded a gem of precious worth. The resplendent stone glowed ruby red, glistening with lustre. Won through decades of fire and ferocity, it reflected an alluring warmth and smouldering intensity – the captivating nature of Lagavulin.” On the nose, quite attractive: Ashtray and tangerine. Coffee beans, cigarrtetes. Very appealing. Oranges. On the palate it was very good but a little dim. Vanilla water, pepper, ashes, Gooseberries, coconut. Oranges. Aftertaste was good, not mind blowing though. Smokey and citric. Grapefruit, it actually has a fruity finish. Gooseberries, citric. Cigarrette finish. Overall, for a $2.400 dram which i believe it was the original retail price, you are not getting what you are paying. Don't get me wrong, i am the one who believes that any whisky over $450 is demential, but if i have the chance to try a glass or two for the fraction of the price i will go for it. Good whisky, not incredible, my score for it is 88 over 100. -
Highland Park Scottish Ballet 50
Single Malt — Orkney, Scotland
Reviewed July 13, 2022 (edited July 14, 2022)The Scottish Ballet is one of only 5 ballet schools in the UK. They were founded in 1969 and for their 50th anniversary, Highland Park decided to commemorate them and their artistic plays, with a special whisky release. The Highland Park Scottish Ballet, was bottled at 40%abv, has been matured in first-fill sherry seasoned American oak casks and a smaller quantity of refill casks. On the nose, quite interesting. Sweaty clothes, a clean bath towel. Orange and orange cake. Chocolate, exactly as a "Kinder Bueno". After a couple of sips, the aroma changed into a cinammon apple pie; Brie / camembert cheese and coffee with milk. On the palate, it started nice, bit it got dimmer with each sip. Italian vanilla "Gelatto". Oranges, peppery. On the second sip it became very watery with a slight vanilla. It fell dramatically. Aftertaste is all about salt. Cigarrettes, salt and pepper. Remarkably salty. Overall, this wasn't impressive, but i guess for the price (55$) you are getting more than what you paid for. Not a bad dram, some interesting notes here and there but fairly normal. The nose was the best part. My score for it is 81 over 100. -
Lagavulin Distillery Exclusive 2018
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 12, 2022 (edited July 13, 2022)Brace yourselves, a perfect whisky is coming. It seems that Lagavulin, back in 2018, which i believe is a great year for that distillery, released a distillery exclusive single malt, double matured, in a first fill and a re-charred oak cask. It was bottled at 53.5%abv which is a nice strength and sold for about 110 pounds in the shop. Little did they knew, that this humble servant was going to try it, decode it into wonderful notes and write this proud review. And as i said before, fasten your seat belts, this is a perfect whisky. On the nose, peat and sweet. Caramel and chocolate; milk and coffee. Ashes, gooseberries. Medicinal notes, but also coconut. Incredible aroma. The white oak can be felt here and is doing a great mixture with the peatiness. On the palate, oh my friends, this is delicious. Vanilla, coconut, pepper and sulphuric notes. Powerfully and elegantly spicy: Chilli and wasabi. Fantastic. Aftertaste is simple, but perfect. It just has three notes; very important, clean notes that are so rewarding that you feel absolutely happy: Smoke, pepper and vanilla. Overall, i can say this one is not too hard to find, i believe it is always present in some auctions and specialized whisky retailers websites. You have to grab one. Or two. Or three. Maybe all you can. Great whisky, it will be on my top ten this year. My score is 100 over 100 -
Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2018
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 11, 2022 (edited July 12, 2022)The third wonderful whisky i had on the Lagavulin distillery tour, came from a collection that i love. The 2018 Islay Jazz Festival, is the name of this glorious dram, i just hope it is as good as the 2017 expression, a single malt that is in my overall top ten ever. Bottled at wonderful 58.5%abv for extra flavor, this whisky as have been matured in Refill American & European Oak Puncheons. On the nose, earthy and fruity. Moss, green fruits, red fruits and coconut. Tar, dirty water from a road; Malted barley and earthy. After a few sips, some chocolate notes have risen. On the palate, it was very well crafted, you don't even feel the high abv at all. Coconut, vanilla, gooseberries. Smoky and chocolaty. Dim peppee and green apples. Aftertaste was incredible, perfect score here. Ginger and smoke explosion. Salty, very tongue scorching super pleasant. The finish is amazing. Tobacco, ciggarrettes, hay. Elegant and smokey, really beautiful puffs of smoke. Overall, i believe the safest bet you can go on any whisky is Lagavulin. They can't make bad single malts, even if they try. Having said that, the Islay Jazz Festival expressions are always top of the line, whiskies that i wouldn't even share; i want them all for me. My score for this great "juice" is a solid 92 over 100. -
Lagavulin 8yo Straight From The Cask, Ex-Red Wine European Oak Cask
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 9, 2022 (edited July 31, 2022)Welcome friends to my second review of my Lagavulin Warehouse Tasting Tour, this time, a younger whisky, one that is a living proof that age means nothing. This is an 8yo Straight From The Cask Lagavulin, served at 56%abv, drawn from an ex-red wine european oak cask. Of course this was also poured by the legend, Ian McArthur. On the nose, a wonderful experience. Coconut, tar; smells like a pond. Gooseberries; Lightly peated and lightly ashy. Grapefruits. The aroma is exactly as water with added salt to make gargles when you have a soar throat. It is like a vanilla cream dipped in an ashtray. The palate was just perfect. Coconut, grapefruit, pepper and ashes. Very elegant for a very young cask strength. Dim saltiness, everything well delivered. Aftertaste is simple but incredible. Beautiful Smokiness, ashes. It is like a bonfire on a cold night. Overall, this was quite surprising. It is amazing how an 8yo single malt can achieve this level of well delivered flavors and aromas. The palate and aftertaste were simply perfect. I am completely overwhelmed by it, my score for it is 96 over 100. -
Lagavulin 12yo Straight From The Cask, Single Second Fill European oak Barrel
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 9, 2022 (edited July 31, 2022)I have arrived to the most holy land of whisky... i have stepped over the most important piece of land in the isle of Islay, the one and only LAGAVULIN DISTILLERY. Arguably the King of Islay, (let the internet backlash begin in the comments), Lagavulin was my first love for peaty whiskies and their 16yo expression has become indestructible against any critics. I have had a lot of "Lagas" in the past years, but now i am here for the ultimate experience. Drawn from 4 incredible casks, i am about to taste some incredible Lagavulins. Did i tell you that the Mythical Ian McArthur is the one pouring the whiskies? (He draws them from the cask using his mouth, i believe this enhances the experience, lol). My first Warehouse tasting was this 12yo, Straight from the Cask, a single second filled european oak barrel, served at 51%abv. On the nose, it is quite sweet! Brownies, chocolate, vanilla, hay. Less complex that other Lagavulins but very sweet. Lots of chocolate notes. Malted barley. On the palate, deliciously sweet. Chocolate milk, dim nice pepper. Super elegant vanilla and earthy notes. Gooseberries. Aftertaste is where the peat was hiding: Smoke, tar, and all the bautiful stuff from Lagavulin, herbal, bonfire. Overall, this was an enormous dram to start the tour. I loved the sweet twist that this whisky has, it confabulates with the peatiness in a great way. My score for this beauty is 92 over 100. -
Although this whisky has no name, it will surely be remember as one of Compass Box most exciting peaty releases. The third part of the "No Name" collection, has been bottled at 48.9%abv, and it is a blended malt from Clynelish, Mortlach, Bowmore and mostly Laphroaig. A lovely looking bottle like most from this "whisky maker", offers a well crafted dram, that you can actually feel every malt that has been used, in separate ways while they are blended together. Pale straw color. On the nose, it begins with grass, humid sown land. It smells like a Gym. Gunpowder, a fresh can of tennis balls and acid prunes. Pine tree, floor cleaner. It is too crazy to be true. After some sips, the aroma turned into plastic with condensed milk. It smells like a horse stable and milk formula powder. Super complex. The palate is a bit of a transition to a wonderful aftertaste. Plastic and gooseberries; salt, toffee and oranges. A second sip gave me condensed milk, vanilla, hay and prunes. After some sips the orange note has overcome everything. Aftertaste is ashy but very pleasant. An elegant cigarrette; gooseberries, pepper and something that i can describe as a scorching viking war in your throat. Elegant, powerful, peaty, flavorful. Very long finish. Overall, this is the true proof that blends can be a superb dram; where the individual malts can shine as a whole. So many crazy, interesting notes here have made this dram incredibly tasty and enjoyable. My score for this beauty is 94 over 100.
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Bowmore 22yo Hand Filled, Single Oloroso Sherry Cask #2117, Vintage 1999.
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 6, 2022 (edited July 13, 2022)Ok my friends, i told you that i had two drams at the warehouse cellar at Bowmore Distillery. Both were 22yo hand filled, but this second one... was something truly special. Drawn from a single oloroso sherry cask, at 57.3%abv, this was one of the most reddish Bowmores i have had. It is important for me to tell you, that i find Bowmore spirit to be particularly perfect for sherry maturation. On the nose, FANTASTIC. Red fruits, oloroso sherry, cheerry syrup, lemon. It has this incredible aroma that i can only describe as a sherry bubblegum. Chocolate cream. The palate was quite the experience. Starts with chocolate, red fruits and... more chocolate. All the farm and red fruits you can imagine are here. Velvety, this is an amazing thing. Can the aftertaste dance to that great rythm? The answer is yes. Chocolate and ashes. Tobacco. It is a chocolate madness. I can only describe it as heaven. Incredible whisky. Overall, this is perfect. If you drink this single malt your inner organs will become gold. Forget about any medieval alchemists, Bowmore has achieved the elixir for inmortality. My score for this heavenly drink is 100 over a 100. Slàinte Mhath! -
Bowmore 22yo Single French Wine Barrique, Cask#2304, vintage 1999.
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 5, 2022 (edited July 12, 2022)I have arrived to Bowmore Distillery. After being a whisky nerd for years, i have always believed that this is the most collectible single malts there are in Islay, but it was never my favorite. I never hated it, i just wasn't impressed with a lot of their offerings (some other ones were quite spectacular though). Well, this distillery experience has changed my life forever. I now call myself "A Bowmore Soldier". The distillery tour, premises and warehouse is just out of this planet. Nothing compares to Bowmore, not even my favorites: Lagavulin or Glendronach. They let you go in INSIDE THE KILN. You read that right, they have a back door where you go in and you become a peaty entity. Then they let you turn the barley in the malted floor, and they let you go in the room where the barley is been burn with peat smoke. The warehouse is incredible, and they let you draw from two different 22yo casks, and you try them, then you pick one for your own hand filled bottle. Then they give you two more samples of very hard, limited Bowmores in the Bar. THAT IS A PROPER CUSTOMER SERVICE. (And the round church is just up the hill, the one that gave birth to the devil's casks legend). Having said all that, one of the drams we tasted in the actual warehouse, was this 22yo French Wine Barrique matured single cask distiller's edition, cask number 2304, vintage 1999, bottled at 47.2%abv. On the nose, it is fairly good. Bananas, vanilla ice cream, thick caramel and floral. Very elegant. It is like a banana split with a slight citrus touch. Creamy. Dim very dim ashes. Orange ice cream, very aromatic. Prunes. On the palate, a little straightforward but also nice. Red wine, Citric orange peel. Elegant in mouth as well. Aftertaste was perfect. Sawdust in a fancy way, Ashy and very salty. Red wine mixed with mineral saltiness. Great stuff. Overall, this grew with every sip. The nose was good, the palate nice and aftertaste was explosively amazing. The whole experience should award more points to this, but in order to be objective, my score for this marvelous dram is 93 over 100. -
A single malt, "made for mixing"? We all know that Glenmorangie has this scientific craving, where they try a lot of cask maturations, roasted barleys, outter-space maturation and NFTs. One of their craziest statements is this Glenmorangie "X", which is intended to end in cocktails around the world. Not very expensive, ready to be served with a mountain of ice in a nightclub, i had to review it, and of course i did it neat, as the Gods of whisky demand. Bottled at 40%abv, Amber color. On the nose, it starts with a peachy syrup, cotton candy and pineapple. Corn flakes, bananas and fruit salad. Milk chocolate. Not bad. On the palate, it is not your best dram. Pineapple, peaches, milk with sugar. The tropical orange notes from any Glenmo' are here. Hay has appeared. Aftertaste is where it falls apart. Spicy pepper, salty, very dry and short. Overall, i get how this one can make a great cocktail, and i also see why they are not selling you this single malt to be drunk neat. It is an under the average whisky, not bad, and better than most spirits that are used in cocktails. Cheap and easy drinkable, my score for it is 76 over 100.
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