Lagavulin 12 Year (2021 Special Release)

Dry, medicinal finish

Very tasty dram but there was some funkiness on the nose that turned me off.

The smoke is strong with this one, and the proof is, too. A spiciness blossoms mid-palate and is balanced by a light Sherry sweetness. Overall, this is massively good and extremely pleasant (assuming you like peat)

Meaty barbecue nose, smokey brisket Smooth, sweet and smokey. Iodine super sweet smokey finish. Easier sipper than the 16, less cigar, ess leather. like the proof.

I’ve had the 2016-2018 and 2020, and I can confidently say that this is one of the best annual releases in all of whisky. I expect nothing less of the 2021—I must say I’m impressed with the artwork this time around. But it’s the whisky that we’re here for, so let’s hop right into it. Nose: Heavy peat, brine, sea salt, seaweed, with some background bonfire smoke and ash. As I’ve said before, it offers the lingering smell of a campfire on the beach the morning after. Bandaid. Lemon and grapefruit. Custard. Apple, raisin, cranberry, and blueberry. Chestnut. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Palate: Seaweed, sea salt, brine. Iodine, campfire smoke, Lemon, lime, grapefruit, and orange. Spearmint. Custard, vanilla, caramel, and milk chocolate. Chestnut and toasted almond. Raisin, gala apple, and molasses. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Seaweed, salt, and brine. Bandaid, iodine, and campfire smoke. Toasted almond. Black bean, red pepper chili. Sun-dried tomato. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Long—as you’d expect of a 56.5% ABV beast. 5/5. Quite predictable if you’ve read any of my Lag 12 reviews—or the first paragraph of this one. It’s expensive, but it offers high ABV and even higher quality. $140 is a price to pay, but well worth it if you ask me. That’s actually a few bucks less than what I paid for the 2020, and about average for this line of whisky. Well done, as always.

Nose: Beach bonfire with a bit of lemon sweetness Palate: Lemon and brine - reminds me of olives marinated in lemon - with smoke in the background Finish: Long and peppery with soft smoke. This is delicious but expensive. 8/10

Beautiful Smokey Oceanside fire with the elders of the family with good conversations and my neighbor next to me have a nice dry wine. I’m not to too familiar with peated scotch, but I didn’t get smacked in the face with smoke. Great scotch and I would absolutely have again. Cheers!