Lagavulin 2003 Distillers Edition (Bottled 2019)

Nose: Warming and round with a peaty character that is softened by a huge blanket of sherry cask aromas. Raisins, seaweed, eucalyptus oil and sweet composted soil. Hints of apple skins and baked ham lurk in the background and become apparent once it has rested. Reduction flattens the nose and frankly ruins it. 87/100 Palate: Sweet arrival full of dark fruit that quickly segues into spicy (mild ginger) and mentholated smoke. The development brings licorice, pine nuts, walnuts, cigar smoke, saltwater and surprisingly dry sherry. The texture is good but not remarkable ... the glass coats well but the legs form quickly and run fast, betraying its lack of viscosity. Adding water amplifies the salt notes while flattening everything else. 83/100 Finish: Short/Long. 90% of the palate disappears quickly but the other 10% (leafy sherry, brine and big peat smoke) keeps rolling along, although it does gain a sour note in the aftertaste. Just when you think everything has faded you take a breath and both smell and taste peat smoke again. It’s like the way in which cigar smoke lingers on the palate. As with the nose and palate, water spoils the finish. 82/100 Tasted from a sample I bought a few years ago, this is the first Lagavulin Distillers Edition I’ve had for probably a decade. It’s not a whisky style I adore because although it has its standout positive features it also lacks crispness and I keep wishing the sherry cask influence was less prominent. The nose here is very good but the palate, whilst above average, was not as good. The big peat reek grabs you but there is not a lot of depth below that and there is a thread of sour/bitter brackish saline throughout the palate that I did not like. I get why this is a favourite for many people as it has some outstanding facets, but for me it lacks balance through the progression. Comparison to the regular 12 year old releases (even the average ones) reveals just how much the distillery character is obscured by heavy PX finishing. One important note - do not reduce this whisky. Even a drop or two of water throws it completely out of balance. I don’t take cost into consideration when scoring a whisky but, for me anyway, there are many peated whiskies that outperform the Distillers Expressions at around half the price. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

I think I prefer the standard Lagavulin 16. The PX cask finish seems to strip away more than it adds. A lot of the tropical fruit and confectionery sugar I find in the 16 is muted. It's still a very nice dram, but the low ABV holds it back. A little thin with a fairly short finish.

Campfire and sweet cured meats nose. Sweetened peat follows in the palate. Mouth coating. Slight fruit. Very pleasant dram.

Big smoke! Love it!