Richard-ModernDrinking
Lagavulin 18 Year Fèis Ìle 2018
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
August 3, 2018 (edited March 19, 2022)
I’ve been sitting on this review for a couple of weeks because I know I’m going to be in a minority on this one. I’m a little picky when it comes to Lagavulin. I like it best when it’s meaty and dirty, like the 2016 12-year-old special release, but they’re not all home runs for me. This one was fine but unspectacular in my book, making it the second Lagavulin Feis Ile release in a row that I’ve rated three stars. The nose is an intriguing mix of burnt rubber - like the aftermath of a getaway car - along with seaweed, shellac and grapefruit. I struggled to make any progress with it neat, but after letting it stand a good while and adding a touch of water I got some flavors of lemon and brisket. My notes peter out after that, perhaps because I was overcome with guilt for not enjoying @PBMichiganWolverine’s rare whisky more, but I’m glad everyone else is enjoying it. It’s good, just not as great as I was hoping.
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@Richard-ModernDrinking Great review! I think it happens all too often that we are tempted to give a high score because IT MUST BE GOOD. It's a Lagavulin, and it's 18 years old, so big expectations! I was about to buy a bottle of this, so the lonely critical voice is very useful for my purchase decision.
@Richard-ModernDrinking oh so close to a perfect score. I think this was a love or hate one. I shared a pour with my brother...he had to spit it out. Said it was like sucking on a wet rope.