Whisky

Lagavulin 16

Lagavulin · Islay · 16 years · 43% · Official bottling

90/ 100

Tasted · How I score: 80 is good, 90 is rare

The benchmark for big Islay peat, with heavy smoke and iodine carried by a sweet, rich depth that never lets it turn harsh.

Move over the engraving to see the photo through the glass.
Floral 0 of 4. Flowers and blossom: heather, rose, violet, perfume. Common in Speyside and Lowland malts.
Fruity 2 of 4. Fresh and dried fruit: apple, pear, citrus, raisin, fig.
Sweet 3 of 4. Honey, vanilla, toffee and caramel, much of it from American oak.
Winey 2 of 4. Sherry and wine casks: dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, red wine.
Body 4 of 4. Weight and texture in the mouth, from light and thin to oily and chewy.
Malty 1 of 4. The barley itself: cereal, biscuit, bread and nuts.
Spicy 2 of 4. Pepper, clove, cinnamon and ginger, often from the oak.
Smoky 4 of 4. Peat smoke, iodine, ash and tar, from malt dried over peat fires. The Islay signature.

  • Floral 0
  • Fruity 2
  • Sweet 3
  • Winey 2
  • Body 4
  • Malty 1
  • Spicy 2
  • Smoky 4
Distillery
Lagavulin
Region
Islay, Scotland
Age
16 years
ABV
43%
Cask
Oak casks
Bottler
Official bottling
Tasted

Colour

Deep amber.

Nose

Peat smoke first, thick and oily rather than sharp, with iodine and sea salt. Underneath, the sweet side opens up: toffee, vanilla and dried figs, then leather and seaweed.

Palate

Full and almost chewy. Sweet malt and dried fruit come first, then the smoke builds with salt, black pepper and oak. Rich all the way through, never thin.

Finish

Very long and warming: smoke and peat with dates and vanilla, drying to oak and a faint note of iodine.

With water

At 43% it needs none. A few drops soften the smoke and bring the sweetness and fruit forward.

Verdict

The reference point for heavy, sweet peat. The smoke is as big as any Islay malt, but the richness underneath balances it, which is why it is the bottle to come back to.

It stops short of the very top only because, at 43%, it is a little restrained next to cask-strength peat.