Can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year than relaxing at home with a fine glass of whisky and slowly savoring and enjoying it. Now I’m still in my very early stages of whisky tasting and reviewing(probably under 20 total tasted ever) but I find my palate and appreciation grows by the day. Lagavulin 16 needs no introduction, heck even before I started drinking Scotch I knew about it. It’s not the first heavily-peated/smokey Islay I’ve tasted, that award goes to Laphroaig 10(review coming soon). But this was one I felt needed a few drams to really appreciate and unpack(normally my reviews have been first-impressions/pours from the bottle.) Lagavulin is a 43% ABV whisky that has coloring added and is chill-filtered. I gave myself a healthy pour in my copita and rested for some time before tasting. Coloring added or not it’s got a very nice hue in the glass. Brassy and amber with that touch of rust, it’s a nice looking whisky. Nose: The first thing you will notice of course is smoke, and quite a lot of it. It’s got a camp fire on a beach quality to it. Not quite roaring bonfire, but a pleasant smokey and inviting warmth. To an inexperienced nose such as mine it takes a bit to delve beyond the smoke and uncover what else it has to offer. Once I do peel back that layer wow this thing is beautiful. Dark and rich fruits layered with black pepper. I don’t get much iodine or phenolic quality but there is definitely some brine here and it’s lovely. One of the best noses on a whisky I’ve reviewed to date. Palate: The cool smoke washes over the tastebuds to make way for a sweet and sticky array of fruit. That peppery quality is just great and helps to break up the sweetness along with the smoke. A slight saline mingles in there too, but of course it’s not truly “salty”. One word that comes to mind right away is _balance_; not too much or too little of anything here. Finish:  Like a few smoke-forward whiskies I’ve had this one definitely lingers about. But I think that’s more a quality of the smoke than just the whisky itself. Nevertheless the finish is great and quite long, though it reaches a point where it sort of dissipates almost out of nowhere it’s not gradual like most whiskies. You’re left with some smoke and the desire to pick up the glass for another sip. Value/Overall Opinion: At about $70/bottle in my area, unfortunately it’s out of my “daily-drinker” budget range. But I enjoy this whisky so much I am compelled to try my best to keep a bottle on hand at all times. Of the Islay whisky I’ve tried to date this is far and away my favorite. It’s complex and a little aggressive but gives way to a beautiful experience if you give it your time. I was, at first, a little worried I might not enjoy it(or smoke/peat/Islay) to begin with but I am so happy I am. Can’t wait to try some more!