Mirthful's Comestibles

Ah, good times

When we visited Islay this summer, I poured some of my drams into sample bottles, so that I could sit down and write proper tasting notes later. Well, I intended later to be weeks later, not months later, but you know how it goes. Anyway, I sat down last night to see if they’re still drinkable.

Lagavulin 10 years old, cask sample, 55%

Comments from this summer: A bit of pepper on the tongue, actually.

Nose: Peat, peat smoke, something quite sharp.

Palate: Malt, peat smoke, pepper – yes, a little meaty, chocolate, honey.

Comments: Much more rounded on the palate than on the nose.

Score: 7 out of 10, love the taste, not so keen on the nose.

Lagavulin 13 years old, cask sample

Nose: Quite floral and sweet at first, but with a heavy peaty, smokey note at heart.

Palate: Dry, peaty, malty, sweet.

Score: 8 out of 10.

Lagavulin newmake

Nose: Peat and sulfur. Sweetness, something resemblig floral, a hint of oranges.

Palate: Peat, sulfur, sweetness. Something fruity, not quite bananas, but sweet in a similar way.

Comments: It’s not the best newmake I’ve had, but I find it quite drinkable, and though I probably wouldn’t buy a bottle to drink, I’d happily have another dram if you’re offering, thank you very much.

Score: 6ish out of 10

Lagavulin 12 years CS

Nose: First impression is not all that peaty. Slightly sour, like Danish rye bread. A little time in the glass opens the peaty tang and something a bit fruity, possibly apples.

Palate: Sweet, peaty.

Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1987

Nose: Sweet wine. Peat. Burnt wood and ashes.

Palate: Peat, wood fire,

Lagavulin for Friends of the Classic Malts

Nose: Banana, peat, sweetness, lemon.

Palate: Peat, malty sweetness. A touch of burnt rubber (not unpleasant).

Conclusion: All very good, having a hard time deciding between them, but I think the 12 year CS has the edge – just.

Tasted as a mystery malt (NMWL Trondheims MM #6a).

Nose: Smoked peach. Malty sweetness and toffee.

Palate: Toffee, smoke, ashes.

Comments: This is quite agressive, so I would imagine it’s cask strength. It might be a disguised Speysider, of course, but I’m fairly certain it’s an Ileach. Considering Snorre brought us this, it’s tempting to guess at Ardbeg, but that might be just a little too simple? It tastes like it could be an Ardbeg anyway. Not terribly complex, but very good nonetheless.

Points: 7.5 out of 10

Nose: Warm peat smoke, orange, fruitcake, cherries, iodine, leather.

Palate: Peat smoke, metallic, fruit compote. Water emphasises a faintly medicinal impression.

Comments: Yummy

Score: 8.5 out of 10

Nose: Warm peat smoke, leather, medicinal, (smells like an old-fashioned apothecary), iodine. Water just emphasises it all rather than adding anything.

Palate: More obvious peat and smoke, salt (!), tobacco, vegetational notes.

Comments: A really good dram which is both complex enough to be interesting and smooth enough to be simply Good, depending on your mood and the occasion.

Score: 8 out of 10

Nose: Peat, heat and fire, I get images of wooden cabins and open fireplaces. Toffee and smoking oven (with fish?). At nosing strenght (20%): Rougher peat,  sulfur, raku firing oven.

Palate: Peat, metallic, smooth, iodine, salt.

Comments: Quite simply very good.

Score: 9 out of 10