Lagavulin 12 Year (2015 Special Release)

Well, for this year's Burns Night celebration I've decided to pop open the 2015 Lagavulin 12 year old cask strength and do a comparison with the 2016 version. Up first is the 2015: it's 113.6 proof and is non-chill filtered. It's a light straw color in the Glencairn glass and produces tons of long, supermodel-like legs when you give it a spin. There's a zesty lemon zing along with the typical Lagavulin smoke wafting up from the taster. A slight aroma of orchard fruits is hidden underneath the smoke but you really have to put your nose as far down in the glass as you can to catch it. Excellent. On the palate, it's Lagavulin in all it's Islay glory: charred oak, savory peat smoke, cinnamon and black pepper spice. The big ABV is all up in your face, as well. It's a serious bonfire still smoldering well into the finish. Speaking of finish, there's a nice earthy pine and menthol that's a great precursor to one final blast of campfire smoke. It's a long, warm finish that really satisfies. Amazing dram, as usual. This is Lagavulin at its best. All the sea and smoke with a fantastic kick from the cask. My favorite Lagavulin to date. Happy Burns Night 2017, my friends. Cheers.