ctbeck11
Lagavulin 12 Year (2020 Special Release)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
August 18, 2021 (edited September 23, 2022)
Nose - briny peat, ash, hay, rich malt, seaweed, almond, clove, tar, pineapple, earthy vegetal notes, light caramel, lemon pith, pencil eraser, apple, dry vanilla, musty grape, cocoa, leather, powdered sugar, moderate to high ethanol burn.
Taste - lemon oil, smoky peat, leather, orange blossom, mint, underripe banana, yeast, almond, vanilla cream, chili pepper, toffee, milk chocolate, cereal grain, tar, brine, iodine, bitter herbal notes, decaying grass, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with deep citrus, bitter peat, cocoa, and chili pepper flavors.
The final Lagavulin of my tasting series, and it’s one I’m sure isn’t worth the purchase price. But hey, it comes in a fancy black tube that lets you know it’s special and you’re special for owning it. The nose is full-bodied Lagavulin, but earthier and mustier than the 16 year. Almond, pencil eraser, and a nice rich maltiness are present as well. The palate is deeply citric, with well rounded peatiness and some grassy, underripe banana notes.
This is really nice, great even, but the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. I paid around $160 for it, and there are malts I enjoy just as much or more for half the price. Honestly, I’m not even sure whether I like it more than the 16 year. It’s richer, thicker, and hotter, but I think the citrus notes on the palate are overdone and detract from the overall experience. I recommend trying this at a restaurant or snagging a sample, but don’t purchase a bottle at the going rate unless you’re a diehard Lagavulin enthusiast.
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@PBMichiganWolverine Unfortunate and true. We need to unearth some more hidden gems. It’s one of the primary reasons I enjoy using Distiller.
@cascode Agreed. I’ll pay up for a good single cask and not feel as bad about it. I’ve seen Springbank 12s in the $120-130 range recently, and I think that’s totally worth it. My 12 is an easy 4.5 for me. Maybe even higher.
@ctbeck11 @cascode the annual special releases are always overpriced —-it’s now for the collector than enthusiast
@ctbeck11 Not just Islay, either. US$160 is at the upper end of what I'd pay for a 12 year old, premium core-range cask strength single malt. Springbank 12 is around that much and also a seasonal release - I'd put them on the same shelf. If it was a single cask release I'd feel happier so I usually reserve that sort of expenditure for independent bottlings anyway.
@cascode It’s great whisky. I just have issues with the price. But I suppose that’s just the cost of admission for any Islay special releases these days.
Love Lagavulin 12 - it's the expresson that carries the distillery character best.
@Soba45 Thank you! That’s a really good deal for a pour of this. Good plan. Hopefully you can travel before a few years from now.
Ah nice review. There is a place in Australia that does awesome samples smwhiskey.com.au at very sharp prices. I think it was $9USD for a sample of this. I might get a bunch delivered to the in-laws and pick them up when we can travel again...a few years from now :-)
@Scott_E Before last week, I probably would have put the Distiller’s Edition in the mix, but I didn’t have the same great experience upon retasting it as I did in the early days of my involvement in the hobby. I’d love to try some of the older expressions and single cask releases, but I’m happy having only one mortgage on my house at the moment.
@ctbeck11 that’s what expected you would say as your ordering (at least not the top two spots). That standard 16 is a perennial, quality bottle.
@Scott_E Thank you! I’ve only reviewed seven Lagavulins, so my experience is limited, but at this point it’s pretty close between the standard 16 year and this 12 year release. Someone like @PBMichiganWolverine has much more experience with the brand, though, so he would probably have more insightful input.
@ctbeck11 enjoyed (and enjoying) your vertical/horizontal tastings/comparisons. I have all the Lags you tasted, but yet to open them (I am a slow reviewer). In summary, what is your favorite Lag expression or how would you rank (cost excluded)?