Indeed, its reputation notwithstanding, the phenols in an ultra-aged Lagavulin, think 25 to 30 years, can be quite subtle and are much better integrated then the phenolic blast you get from a young Lagavulin. Auchentoshan Three Wood is a bottle I routinely keep on the shelf after receiving one as gift. Charl is a trainer, public speaker, and professional writer. I get a light burst of grapes. His interest started with single malts in 2012, before he moved into rum and mezcal in search of malterntaitves and a passion for travel then helped build his drinks collection. #oban14 #singlemalt #scotch #scotchwhisky #whisky #whiskey #alcohol #dram #whiskyporn #angelsshare #angelssharewhisky Johns son, Donald, inherited the distillery in 1837 and was in control of the production until 1852. Highland Park Distillery is based on the largest of the wild, peat-filled islands off of the northern tip of Scotland. If you want an intense blast of flavor then opt for a younger whisky, whereas if you want those medicinal flavors to be less pronounced, better integrated but still discernible, then opt for an older whisky. Color: Amber, like tea steeped not-quite-enough. An unpeated scotch, there are strong floral tasting notes, while still remaining dense and complex with each sip. Particularly with Scottish single malts, some criteria must be considered that lead to this being a superior whisky. Finally, the ppm phenol in spirit drops over time. Most of the time the smoke produced by the burning peat had no lasting effects on the whisky. It was prominently featured in Diageos Classic Malts Collection as a quintessential example of a West Highlands malt. Laphroaig has higher cut points than Lagavulin. Ledaig comes from the Tobermory distillery in the northwest corner of the Isle of Mull, just a short hop across the water from the mainland Highlands. Peated or unpeated? The distillery, among the best known in the world, is one of the oldest distilleries on Islay, although its history of distillation activity reaches much further back than its official start date. The phenol guaiacol, for example, imparts flavors of kippers, smoked bacon and old cheese to a whisky, while cresol, another phenol, imparts medicinal flavors of disinfectant and antiseptic. Diageo dont need change a thing. However, depending on what you prefer in a single malt, either option may be better for you. SRP: $94.99. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Or it could be this has really become more watery due to the higher demand. Lagavulin Distiller's Edition vs Lagavulin 16: Which Wins? Each spring, the New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC) conducts an annual judging of spirits. Both Oban and Lagavulin have whiskies available at an alcohol content of 43% *86 proof), although Oban only has this strength while Lagavulin has 43% as the minimum. Learn how it compares to the Caol Ila 12! The finish is long, sweet and pleasantly warm, with more smoke to it. Yes. This means that Oban came first by approximately 22 years. Lagavulin 16 pleases crowds as the default good Scotch for a reason. Nice. Our tester found it to be delightful in everything from a Scotch old fashioned to more complex cocktails like a Blood & Sand, where its normally subtle fruity notes really came to life. The heavier single malt is instantly flavorful, strong in proof, and inherently drinkable all while retaining a distinctive and unique taste. Peated whiskies that are finished in sweet wine casks add sweetness and dried fruit flavors over the smoke and medicinal character imparted by peat. Highland Park 18 Year Read More. While sticker shock might steer you toward their more economical and no less worthy 12-year-old bottle, the extra age on this bottle 21 years in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks is outstanding for special occasions. In addition, the distillery uses a small still, nicknamed the wee witchy, in which the heads and tails of prior distillation runs are redistilled. Ridiculously? There are still over a hundred-peat fired electricity generation plants, mostly in Scandinavia. This practice can even occur on an industrial scale. Lagavulinis peated to 35 PPM at the famed Port Ellen maltings using peat from Islay's Castlehill Peat Bog. There are more than 20 variations available from the brand. It has a hefty 46.3 percent ABV, spending time in both ex-bourbon casks and new oak barrels. Caol Ila 10 is similar as well, but milder. When burned it adds a delicate, floral, potpourri like quality to peat smoke. The region falls on the opposite side of the flavor spectrum (and map) from the peatiness of Islay. Best Splurge Scotch. Light floral with dark fruit in the nose followed by a well layered oily presence on the palate with dark sugar on the edges and a full-bodied finish. Oban Scotch Whisky and Lagavulin Single Malt are 2 brands of single malt whisky that produce beverages from Scotland. It has a distinctive cracked black pepper note on the nose that is always an unmistakable marker for Talisker. So even though both peated whiskies began with the same concentration (ppm) of phenols in the malted barley, the end result is substantially different. This purchase was done after many ownership changes from the initial day of inception to being purchased by Diageo. Dark color sherry cask finish with toasted nuts and chocolate on the nose. In addition to the Double Gold medalists, the NYISC also recognizes outstanding distilleries in some of Scotlands key producing areas. As the ice melts, it will water down the beverage too much which will affect the taste of the whisky. Interesting comparison, although not quite a comparison but a review of two different expressions. Oban 14 year old is another Highlander like the Dalwhinnie, with similar honey and floral notes. Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation. Bottle Price: N/A (paid $14 plus tip for a dram at a St. Petersburg, FL bar) Consumed neat in a very tiny tumbler. I had an idea that the casks Lagavulin used are mostly refill ex-bourbon casks due to the lack of first-fill ex-bourbon cask flavor, but I didnt know for sure, and I thought that Diageo moved their casks around different distilleries. Prices and visitors' opinions on dishes. Tasted like wet cigarette ash Octomore. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ad13b63b4b51edb14a2cc838da0b2be4" );document.getElementById("f7847b31c6").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. With notes of vanilla, coffee, dark chocolate and citrus, your palate will begin its journey on a path of familiarity just to end itself on a wild ride nobody was expecting. Beginning in 2010, the distillery releases its 12 year expression, which blends juice aged in bourbon and sherry cask, semi-annually at cask strength. My then-unrefined palate thought the flavors seemed like a peppery, smokey mocha drink. The biggest shocker of its win was Deanston Virgin Oak's price, clocking in with a retail price of around $30. There are 10 variations included in their collection, including a younger, 5-year-old whisky to a 25-year-old variation. (182.86 per litre) A magnificent whisky. Sometimes the familiar is the hardest to appreciate. Its brightly peated whisky sits in sherry-seasoned European oak casks and ages in the extremely mild climate of the islands, for a gentle maturation that hits its stride at 18 years. When I bought the tasting kit to join the tasting, I didnt know he was going to be part of it, so I told myself that if the tasting got too marketing-heavy, Id at least have bought the kit to jog my memory on these single malts. Made exclusively from malted barley, single malt is made in a multi-step process. Ive never had a bad batch of Talisker 10, which is why I still consider Talisker one of Diageos crown jewels. It was bought in 1862 and became well-known to the greater public when Peter J. Mackie made his purchase, with his nephew eventually taking over control in 1878. I just need to get my hands on a sample of Laphroaig 10 and maybe the 10 CS. Citrus and dark fruit lay on the mouth with a soft awareness of oak that continues on the balanced finish with a light layering of vanilla. The 8 year only recently became a regular release. An 8 YO Lagavulin has a higher concentration of phenols than the 16 YO, and both are higher then the 25 YO. Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or. Next, shape your tongue into a spoon shape and take a small sip of the whisky. If you want the peat influence to be subtler, less medicinal and more cold smoke and earth/brush, then look at Caol Ila. For many Scotch lovers, Deanston has probably been off the radar. Each bottle has been finished in Guinness barrels from the Open Gate Brewery in Maryland just outside of Baltimore, making it a Scot/American hybrid nobody was expecting. ABV: 43%. Mortlach, 20 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky. There are no gaps in this whisky. On the cheaper end, Laphroaig Quarter-Cask is somewhat similar. Not only that but I know in a lot retailers in France theyll have there standard size bottles of single malts all next to one another and very competitively priced. For most whiskies, it drops by about 40% or so during distillation. I've heard good things about Bowmore, but haven't tried it myself. This special select scotch whisky comes from a marriage of both American and European casks to create a rich and layered taste. To be considered a single-grain Scotch whisky, the juice must be made at one distillery from a single grain like corn or wheat and it can be malted or unmalted. Named for the famous whirlpool that lies to the north of Islay and winner of The Worlds Best Single Malt in 2010 by the World Whiskies Awards, Corryvreckan is intense, non-chill-filtered experience of peat and pepper aged in virgin French Limousin oak. all while retaining a distinctive and unique taste. But in 1998, after changing hands to Diageo, the brand was selected to represent the Lowlands and the 12 year old expression hit shelves. An early distillery founded in 1826, was one of the first licensed distilleries in Scotland and a pioneer of sherry cask maturation. Winter spices with sherry notes and walnut coat the tongue with a balanced finish and hints of the sea. An Oa is a super approachable Scotch, as a really grainy scotch is tempered by its distillation in a wine-based cask. Thats among the lowest cut points in the industry. Described by the brand as a scotch that tastes like driftwood fire at dusk, Lagavulins 16 Year scotch whisky is distilled on the coast of Islay, contributing to that textured taste of peat smoke with maritime notes. Theyre both sufficiently different to be judged differently. But we could do with your support each month think of it as buying us a dram. ago yours is an open factual report. I love them both and feel no need to choose between them other than bowing to one in particular because of how I feel at the time. From Eastern Scotland try the Glendronach peated expression or, if you can find it, The Macallan Rare Cask Black Edition. Thats one reason why its medicinal notes, while pronounced, seem drier, less intense, even though it starts at a higher peating level than Lagavulin. Black, Gold, 18 anos . Despite the lack of an age statement, Deanston Virgin Oak is a single-malt Scotch whisky with a price reserved for the less-than-amazing stuff. In the mouth: Not as peaty and smoky upfront. However, Lock Lomond also sells other whisky types including their range of limited editions and single-grain whisky. Nothing is the star here, everything works together for the common good. I am a bar and liquor shop owner in Oaxaca, Mexico where I have tasted hundreds of different spirits; perhaps more than I should! But, this 11 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky isnt as ordinary as you might think. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Every product is carefully selected by our editors. Springbank was founded in 1828 by Archibald Mitchell and today is owned by Mitchells great-great-great-grandson, making it one of the few independent distilleries trading blows with giants like Diageo. Finish: Long and spicy, with notes of figs, vanilla and smoke! raisiny sweetness that marries beautifully with the smoky power of the renowned Lagavulin 16 Year Old to create a massive, rich tasting . So with that in mind, weve taken the guesswork out of that for you, focusing on the best of the best to have right now. This year there were four Scotch whiskies that won Double Gold: Ardbeg Uigeadail, Glenmorangie Signet, Oban 14 YO and Talisker 10 YO. Personally, I love the Uigeadail more, but not by much. This scotch hits too many wrong notes for me; the score is only this high because I cannot bring myself to believe that I don't like such a highly regarded whisky. The higher cut points and the greater reflux make it lighter and results in less phenolic compounds in the whisky. Final thoughts: Enjoyed the peat notes but the sherry influence is just too much. The peatiness is incredibly well balanced against some caramel sweetness, rich, smooth and delicious. Within their scotch whisky range is over 100 brands, with their total reach being across 180 countries. Lagavulin is aged for 16 years using ex-bourbon barrels. Charl loves to learn about new products and tries everything he writes about. The combined mix of dissipating peat & smoke plus the entering aromas of butterscotch and toffee make me think of mocha. Other than that I can say nothing except that I have talked myself into wanting one of them at this moment. But in general, the north brings rich body and sweetness; the west brings rich body and peatiness; the south brings delicate drams with light body; and the east brings similar lightness with a touch more fruit. I first had this in 2014, when it came in the solid dark blue box. When dried, peat can burn. Whiskies from the Lowlands (like those from Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie) tend to be light and delicate. As noted above, Talisker also received a Double Gold medal for its 10 YO expression. Springbank 15 Year . Oban 14 going up +92%. The French oak actually has a low density to it that allows the spirit to be enriched, deep inside the cask. The 100% malt whiskey is a blend of three Speyside single malts (they don't tell you which ones) and is specifically designed for cocktail mixing, though it's still palatable on its own. The more moss, the more phenols are released by the burning peat and the more medicinal flavor in the whisky. Not any longer. The plot failed, Mary was eventually beheaded and Queen Elizabeth endured. When I am in the mood for Islay, uigeadwil And Lag 16 are my go to drams. In short, you want to make it last. Start by deciding what youre looking for. This yearly release is, for the price, among Taliskers best. Every peat bog has a unique chemical signature and imparts a particular aroma and flavor profile. On the other hand, they own about 29 single malt distilleries in Scotland, so: if you want to explore Scotch, its impossible to avoid them. Lagavulin 16 costs more and so it should considering the age and sherry. Lagavulin has an oilier, fresher quality, while Laphroaig seems drier. Its a great option for people who think they dont like single-malt Scotch. The peat is accompanied by toffee, butterscotch, caramel, some light pickled seaweed with sesame seeds on top, nori and some more coastal aromas. Given that both brands are owned by Diageo and produce single malt whisky, these are easy to compare which we will be doing going forward. Palate: Tobacco, seaweed, fresh fruit, smoke. The phenomenon is also known as muskegs in North America. Both Oban and Lagavulin have whiskies available at an alcohol content of 43% *86 proof), although Oban only has this strength while Lagavulin has 43% as the minimum. Pratos principais. Blended-grain Scotch is made by blending single-grain Scotch whiskies from two or more distilleries. Old oak casks are then used to age the whisky with the most common casks being old American bourbon barrels. A 750ml bottle will run you around $60. Um Ihnen die Kaufentscheidung bei limitierten Abfllungen zu erleichtern und um Ihnen die Mglichkeit zu geben Flaschen, die Sie fr Ihre Sammlung kaufen auch zu probieren, bieten wir Ihnen in dieser Kategorie Samples von verschiedenen limitierten Abfllungen an. The distillery is now owned by Diageo, having been bought in 1989 through a merger with the UDV merger. When youre more seasoned, the light and easy-to-drink malts will no longer do the job. Compare the aroma and flavor of Laphroaig to Lagavulin. (It famously produces much of the Scotch for blending in Johnnie Walker expressions.) After that, he said that the peat used for Talisker comes from the Black Isle or Speyside. (150 per litre) Lagavulin 2008 12 Year Old Special Releases 2021. It was love at first taste. But the world of scotch whisky can get overwhelming pretty quickly, hence the previously mentioned complicated nature. Notes: A classic balance-not too smoky, not too sweet. In Eastern Scotland, the climate is much drier. Its classic Offerman. Kilkerran 12 has since proved a worthy torchbearer, with light peat working off bright sherry and bourbon casks. The process allows for a series of interesting contrasts: smoky and sweet with a perfect balance. Laphroaigs Select Isaly scotch whisky has a bit of history to it. Palate: This dram is the first to remind me of butter. Some of the big whisky websites are funded by corporate groups. The scotch is matured in Pedro Ximnez and Oloroso sherry casks which heighten flavor and uniqueness. When burned, that peat can add a more pronounced aroma of iodine or smoked, oily fish. The Glenlivet is a name known everywhere. Aberfeldy 12 vs Glenmorangie 10: Head to Head! 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