Lagavulin 12 Year (2018 Special Release)

Intense. Almost like an Ardbeg 10 on steroids. This dram deserves respect.

Nose - sweet with hints of lagavulin's classic malt, but a bit of astringent oak and alcohol combining. A bit of vegetable notes but then turning smokey and sweet. Taste - the 2018 is best noted with a rich amount of complexity. A mix of oak, spice, some youth, and the lagavulin malt. If you and more classic lag 12, add some water and it brings the peat and smoke and aristocratic sweet lagavulin malt forward. The 2018 certainly uses some tired casks but has some nice still vanilla rich casks. Youth and some less than optimal casks leaves this one a bit short, but the high abv and quality mouth feel drive this one to a 2.75 for me. Quality quality dram for those of you looking for quality on a reasonable budget and who are ok with spirit forward whisky.

Freshly cut grass, smoke, salt and iodine on the nose. Peat and smoke at first, alcohol burn with sister vanilla, lemon and sawdust. A long finish dominated by the smoke , spice and warmth of the alcohol. Amazing whisky, one of the best from Lagavulin.

This is my favourite scotch and it never disappoints.