ScotchingHard
Lagavulin Distillers Edition
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
July 6, 2017 (edited January 25, 2018)
Who wants Lagavulin 16 flavored with PX sherry? Oh, did I say flavored? I meant finished. When you take a younger whisky like Laphroaig’s NAS, and you finish it in PX sherry, you add sophistication. When you take something that’s already been aged 15 years, is on its way to becoming a canonized whisky, and you finish it in PX sherry, you are doing subtraction. I have a 2015 bottle that I’m struggling to finish, favoring heavily the original Lagavulin 16. With it being almost a year opened, this bottle evolved from being a PX dominated profile to a castrated Lagavulin 16 with only hints of sherry. NOSE: From a fresh bottle, PX sherry and oak are definitely present, but enveloped by smoke. The smoke is definitely lighter and fruitier than the standard LV 16. With time, the PX influence disappears. I can’t smell the sherry anymore in my bottle. PALATE: Salty raisins and plums. It’s heavy PX sherry flavors. The smoke emerges from the sweet arrival to add some dryness. The smoke is shy, while the PX is what’s bold. This reverses with time for an opened bottle. My wife, who cannot stand peat stronger than a Talisker 10, and absolutely hates the standard Ardbeg/Laphroaig/Lagavulin, actually gets upset if I pour myself the DE without pouring her some – that’s how I know they castrated this Lagavulin. FINISH: Raisins and plums return. It is delicious at first, but PX for me is one of those things that start out welcoming, but then outlasts its welcome, and then it’s like, get the fuck out of my mouth you raisins. With the long-opened bottle, the raisin flavors aren’t nearly as strong, and all I get is a dilute sweet smoke, which just makes me miss the original Lagavulin 16. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good whisky that deserves a respectable rating, but it is PX contaminating the legendary Lagavulin 16. 85/100.
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Consider yourself lucky. My wife doesn't even like the Aberlour A'bundah. I am starting to think she doesn't have any taste buds.
And I should add my comment was meant to be the 16 is a 1/3rd LESS the price not 1/3rd the price :-) Just finished off a bottle of the distillers tonight and compared against the 16 with some friends. Maybe it was because we threw a Talisker distiller edition into the mix (a bit harsher) as well as the fact the 16 of my mate's had been opened a while, but I thought both weren't to far apart. So many variables impact an impression :-)
Well, we do love opinions, don't we? I'd certainly agree with you that in many cases, 'finishing' is being used to hide the shortcomings of a poorly matured whisky. In this instance, however, it's more a question of personal preference. I think both Lagavulin 16 and DE are great malts.
Well, for me, "finishing" can be a quick way to improve an average whisky, but a quick way to spoil a great one. And the PX was obviously poorly integrated in the bottle that I bought because it disappeared over a few months. Longrow Red is probably the only spectacular finished whisky I've had.
I believe the majority of whisky buffs would disagree with you - sure, it depends on personal preference, but for me, PX finishing in Lagavulin adds the perfect counterbalance to the bold peatiness, making the DE one of the best OB's available.
I think you're right---Lag16 is the better VFM. But I love that sweet salty combo of DE. Can't ever go wrong with a Lag though
Yeah I like both but the longer I drink both I'm definitely preferring Laga 16 at 1/3 the price.