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.