A special single malt release from Lagavulin distillery, bottled to celebrate Feis Ile 2021. Personally selected by Distillery Manager Pierrick Guilllaume from an experimental batch which was initially matured in American oak casks then finished in high char Port seasoned casks. Expecting big flavours, bottled in 2021 at 54.4% vol.
1 PER CUSTOMER
Tasting Notes
APPEARANCE: Clear gold with amber lights. Fine beading and long, slow legs.
BODY: Medium to full.
NOSE: Mild overall, with some prickle. A fleeting sweet top note of candied chestnuts soon settles into more familiar suggestions of linament and an oily mineral note. This last takes hold, becoming a sweet pungency. Water brings it out as linseed oil with thick, fragrant smoke in the classic Lagavulin vein, edged here by dark hints of char.
PALATE: At natural strength, the texture is thick and oil-smooth, while the taste is intense; it is fleetingly sweet then piquant with spice that quickly rises in importance, as rich waves of smoke, salt and hot pepper take over. Noticeably palate-drying. Superbly full on at natural strength. A dash of water smooths it out, in time emphasising the spicy dryness, which is still backed by a smoky intensity.
FINISH: Long, still intensely piquant and appreciably drying, with that pepper-spice warmth leaving a delicious nutty and smoky aftertaste. Similar and even longer with water, the smoke somehow growing with time.