Lagavulin 8 Year

Smokey and balanced

Drank neat in a Kentucky trail bourbon glass Nose: wispy smoke, salty light fruits, apricot, band aid, musty leather, campfire embers Taste: smoke and smoke, like the wind suddenly changed direction and is blowing the fire in your face. Switches quickly to light fruits, leather. Taste matches nose but more intense. Finish: long, lingering, viscous and a bit numbing. Peat shines here. Leaves me with the aforementioned campfire embers. Happy I picked this up. Good level of smoke and nicely sweeter. Expert review on here is pretty spot on - consistent through nose to finish in a great way. Very much worth the price, great to sit down with and reflect.

Summary: This 8yr reminds me of a smoked seaweed snack seasoned with pepper, a light sweetness, and a hint of fruit. It is very good for the price but don't expect the complexity of the 16yr. Color: Light straw Nose: brine, some peat smoke, along with notes of apricot & bitter apple peel Taste: a light sweetness, pepper, ocean salt, & light smoke Finish: long finish, smoke fades to pepper & leather

This is a dram I have been wanting but had not pulled the trigger yet. I decided to do so on a whim today. Nose: the nose is floral, small bit of peat smoke dancing around the body of the spirit. Kind of like a Speyside in a way to me. I get some nuttiness like pecans and pears mixing together to make the brunt of it. At 48% the ethanol doesn’t overpower anything Palate: I’m going to compare to an Ardbeg expression, which are my favorite. Slightly reminiscent of the 10 year, but thinner, and doesn’t sit in the mouth as long as some other oilier malts. Flavor is bold but not outrageous, again those floral and almost grassy notes seem to flirt around and appear like wisps of smoke. Speaking of smoke, very manageable in that department, pleasantly Islay. Would definitely buy again, and makes me even more intrigued to spend the buck on the Lag 16.

Neat. Neck pour. First time exploring Lagavulin and man, the glass is two feet from my face while sitting outside and the air is surrounding me with flavors already. That’s impressive on its own. On the nose, it’s very dark. Darker than I was expecting. Plum, chocolate, salty beef jerky. Not as peat forward as Ardbeg. Oh, there is a very nice sweetness emerging as I acclimate to it. Almost a sea salt taffy. More fruits are coming forward beyond that initial plum. Grapes and nectarine. Very dynamic and pleasing. Nice and oily mouthfeel. Once again dark and subtle on the tongue. Chocolate and the salty jerky. Those quickly give way to the peat but then it turns all sweet and pretty. Some really nice vanilla mixed with that taffy. The chocolate comes back for another round. Vanilla and hint of peat linger on the medium to short legs. This is a very pleasant and easy sipper. Josh this might be the perfect intro to a Islay even. That peat isn’t in your face and it so sweet and inviting throughout most the experience. I think I might put this ahead of the Ardbeg 10 but behind the other Ardbeg expressions I have had thus far. Very nice pour.