Any scotch list worth its salt wouldnt be complete without something from Johnnie Walker. There are 15 whiskies available in their offerings with tasting notes including pears, chocolate sauce, vanilla, and florals. The phenomenon is also known as muskegs in North America. One of the most recognizable scotch brands, Glenlivets 15 Year scotch gets its atypical taste from maturing the spirit in French oak casks (in fact, they were one of the first brands to use these particular kinds). Diageo is a multinational alcohol company that now owns more than 200 brands of alcohol with Oban being the second smallest distillery under their umbrella. Lagavulin 16 is the 34th scotch off my Scotch 100 list. Finally, dont ignore the peated offerings from the specialty bottlers. 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. Fake whiskey. Palate: Honey smoked meats paired with fruit like grapes and berries. Traditionally, Lowland Scotch was triple distilled using unpeated malt for a light, simple sweetness. Thats why peated whiskies can sometimes have a medicinal/disinfectant or plastic-like aroma. In Islay, maritime influences additionally affect the peat. Peated whiskies that are finished in sweet wine casks add sweetness and dried fruit flavors over the smoke and medicinal character imparted by peat. For starters, there are five Scotch regions: Speyside, Highlands, Islay, Lowlands and Campbeltown. Oban has a much smaller offering than Lagavulin, with 4 whiskies available for purchase. I am a bar and liquor shop owner in Oaxaca, Mexico where I have tasted hundreds of different spirits; perhaps more than I should! For example, it must be made in Scotland and oak barrel-aged for at least three years. Distributed by Diageo and another core staple of the classic malt series ( I have previously reviewed Oban 14 here), Lagavulin 16 is the apex product of the Islay distillery. Ill be reviewing them in the coming weeks. If you can, try to match the tasting notes with the aromas and ingredients you recognized earlier. Lagavulin 16 Years Old Read More. The resulting material can build up over thousands of years to form peat bogs hundreds of feet thick. Everything you need to know about Scotlands favorite brown spirit, including important terminology and a cheat sheet to the best bottles across all price points. For much of its history, Glenkenchie was producing the light-bodied Scotch typical of the Lowlands for use in blending. Required fields are marked *. In the Orkney Islands, among other places, much of the peat derives from partially decomposed heather. Its a great option for people who think they dont like single-malt Scotch. It's very similar to (and cheaper than) The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 year and a little bit lighter in style than Oban 14, but stands up well against any unpeated ex-bourbon malt. Speyside, to the east, with distilleries like The Macallan or The Balvenie, is known for whiskies with a delicate richness that doesnt rely on peat so, expect a lot of sherry and rum casks for aging. Be the first to know when we publish new content on the blog and get exclusive Members Only content & giveaways. Under the official Scotch Whisky Association guidelines, the Highlands region is made up of all Scottish islands (except Islay) and the mainland of northern Scotland (except Speyside). Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Scotch Whisky $69.99 Buy Now. Since a portion of the wash is distilled two and a portion is distilled three times, the distillery claims that it distills its whisky exactly 2.81 times. Lagavulin 16 Year Old Reviews Brilliant. From there, its easy to move along those two spectrums to find bottles you like. Get our FREE weekly email The official tasting notes from the judging panel described the whisky as. As noted above, Talisker also received a Double Gold medal for its 10 YO expression. I think the T10 has been more consistent than the L16 tbh. Lagavulin 16: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whiskey; 43% ABV. Read More: The Dalmore Releases Sherry-Cask Finish 12-Year Scotch. It is then distilled in a pot still which involves heating the liquid and allowing vapor to form. Peated whiskies are quintessentially Scottish. After 18 years the two liquids are blended together and, after being allowed to marry, are bottled. The youngest whisky in this blend is 11 years old, which makes a nice contrast to Lagavulin's best-known expression, the 16-year-old, perhaps the quintessential Islay malt. The finish is long and pleasantly warm, leaving an aftertaste of oak, baking spice and salt. Smooth? Lagavulin has 12 whisky variations available for purchase. Highland Park 12 Year Scotch Whisky $56.99 Buy Now. Dried herbs and a lingering soft sweetness when in the mouth with a light oak finish, he Singleton of Glendullan, 15 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky. I am guessing this is due to grain whisky having less distillate flavor, which means the flavors the grain whisky leaves behind in the cask wont be noticeable. Bottle Price: N/A (paid $14 plus tip for a dram at a St. Petersburg, FL bar). The result is a robust, powerfully flavored, whisky that noted spirits writer Dave Broom has nicknamed the Beast of Dufftown. There were also several single malts singled out for exceptional quality. Lagavulin 16 is a great malt with astrong but still enjoyable peaty profilewith delicious sweetness. The primary tasting notes across the whiskies are peat and fruit, with additional notes of sea salt, honey, and spice differing across the variations. From Eastern Scotland try the Glendronach peated expression or, if you can find it, The Macallan Rare Cask Black Edition. Oily mouthfeel paired with a honey sweetness and a very acrid, slightly woody taste that I cannot place. The Best Kinds of Whiskey That Belong on Everyones Bar Cart, Sign up for SPY news straight to your inbox every day. Laphroaigs Select Isaly scotch whisky has a bit of history to it. Oban Whisky distillery was established in 1794 by John and Huh Stevenson and was named before the town in which it was situated. I've heard good things about Bowmore, but haven't tried it myself. Smoke and full sweetness with no burn. Ignore the eccentric variants and go straight for Highland Parks classic 18-year expression. This Speyside distillery has an excellent lineup, with the 16-year-old landing right in the sweet spot of maturation between the 12 and 18, the other two age statement bottles in the range. Monkey Shoulder bills itself as a premium blended Scotch, and they aren't lying. Veterans wont also find it too light. Theyve also proven to be very popular with consumers. For example, peat generally burns at a temperature of around 350 C. Wood, by comparison, when fully combusting, burns at a temperature of around 600 C. Excessive combustion temperatures degrade the peat aromatics produced, although the impact varies depending on the phenol type. Most of the time the smoke produced by the burning peat had no lasting effects on the whisky. Ive never had a bad batch of Talisker 10, which is why I still consider Talisker one of Diageos crown jewels. An 8 YO Lagavulin has a higher concentration of phenols than the 16 YO, and both are higher then the 25 YO. Of Highlands distilleries, Talisker tends to bring high-octane peat bombs, and if thats where your heart lies Id stick to Talisker 10, which is a fantastic, go-to bottle for entry-level smoke. Pratos principais. This simplicity lends the region to provide the base to many blends, though a few distilleries have been kicking out some peated options recently. Color: Apple juice from concentrate (Yes, again. Well layered with dark fruit and sherry with a mild oak layering followed by a long smoky peaty finish with a soft presence of vanilla. All 4 variations have an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 43% (86 proof) and all have a light amber hue to them. I'm very sleepy, so I will let the reviews speak for themselves: Oban 14: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey; 43% ABV. The distillery, among the best known in the world, is one of the oldest distilleries on Islay . Both whiskies are from Western Scotland. The usual Islay names, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Bruichladdichs Port Charlotte or Octomore range, Bowmore or Laphroaig will suit you, so will whiskies from the other western islands like Talisker (Skye) or Ledaig (Mull). Single malt is a type of whisky that is seen as elite. Its a great smokey and peaty single malt for beginners to try. However, depending on what you prefer in a single malt, either option may be better for you. Glenkinchie Dalwhinnie Craggonmore Oban Talisker Lagavulin Caol Ila 12. Oban is a port city in central Scotland, and its namesake distillery borrows a little of this and a little of that to produce an extremely well-balanced Scotch that displays all the extremes of Scotland's flavor. 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. Mortlach, 20 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Heavy, shallow marketing gets on my nerves. Oban 14 has a very pleasant smoky taste that doesnt overwhelm other notes making it a good choice for those who want smoke in moderation when compared to Smoky Islay Malts that offer blasts of smoke. This is a nice and easy sip that you can drink either neat or adding a dash of water bringing additional sweetness and more oak, although I like it as is. Next, shape your tongue into a spoon shape and take a small sip of the whisky. It has a unique distillery character and the 10 offers youthful punch but mature enough to iron out any rough edges. The distillery uses some of the smallest stills in Scotland, meaning that the 18-year release is a hard-to-find, limited-release, despite being a flagship product. Made in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, Bowmores Islay Single Malk 15-Year Darkest Scotch Whisky produces a final result thats inherently dark looking, but also extremely rich in flavor. So if you are fond of this liquor and want to add a tad of smoke Oban is a no-brainer. Flavor hits with dried fruit at first, followed by pear and apple shrouded in baking spice and a gentle tad of smoke. Hope . 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. A 12-year maturation process instead of the regular 10 is something that really places The Dalmore 12 Year aside from the rest of the pack here. According to the official tasting note submitted by the judging panel, the whisky exhibits: Whiffs of tobacco and dark chocolate and berries are found in the nose. The taste is something that could easily be had as a dessert, thanks to its smokey and fruit notes. Lagavulin distillery was founded in 1816 by John Johnston and Archibald Campbell,is located in the village ofLagavulinon the south of the island ofIslay,Scotland. There are still over a hundred-peat fired electricity generation plants, mostly in Scandinavia. Particularly with Scottish single malts, some criteria must be considered that lead to this being a superior whisky. Other than that I can say nothing except that I have talked myself into wanting one of them at this moment. Lagavulin collects its water from the Solan Lochs while the peat comes from the west of the island. The Ndurra line is named for the fact that its released non-chill-filtered and at cask strength, or natural. While the rough cut Ndurra is fantastic and the winner of Double Gold at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, those who want a little more refinement should look no further than The Glenlivet 18. This is one of thebest peaty single maltsin the market. As the ice melts, it will water down the beverage too much which will affect the taste of the whisky. But the world of scotch whisky can get overwhelming pretty quickly, hence the previously mentioned complicated nature. This first age statement release from Lagavulin has been recognised as a value-for-money whisky with a relatively high age statement and relatively accessible price. 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. The name is a reference to the Catholic Insurrection in England in the early sixteenth century that attempted to topple Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with her half-sister, Mary Queen of Scots. single malt is made in a multi-step process, Johnnie Walker Price, Sizes & Buying Guide, Legal Alcohol Limit By State What You Need to Know, Non Alcoholic Beer Laws By State What You Need to Know, Smoked peat, sweet notes, sea salt, mahogany, Smoke, marmalade, pear cider, toffee apples, Light gold to deep amber depending on the variation, Lagavulin 11-Year-Old Offerman Edition Single Malt, Lagavulin 7-Year-Old Islay Jazz Festival 2022 Single Malt, Lagavulin 12-Year-Old Special Release 2022 Single Malt, Lagavulin 12-Year-Old Special Release 2021 Single Malt, Lagavulin 26-Year-Old Special Release 2021 Single Malt. Loch Lomond was established in 1814 and produces various single-malt whiskies of different ages. Aberlour keeps things simple. During the 1960s, 40% of Irelands electricity was produced in peat fired power plants. When youre more seasoned, the light and easy-to-drink malts will no longer do the job. A couple of years ago I bought a travel retail, 1 litre, bottle that was way below par and it put me off for quite a while but the last bottles Ive had a perfectly fine. Signet is produced from two different types of malted barley. Glenmorangie took home the award for The Best 18 YO Single Malt. With every sip, youll experience tastes of smooth vanilla, soft fruits and a memorably long, nutty finish, offering a robust and layered taste with each and every single slug. Press Release Dec. 5, 2014 at 12:30 pm. I love the nose on this. Blended-grain Scotch is made by blending single-grain Scotch whiskies from two or more distilleries. A lot of first-fill ex-bourbon casks intended for aging Lagavulin would be filled first with single-grain Scotch. Unlike on the nose, the peat and smoke are more consistent all the way. Embarrassing to read. which makes it great for newbies and diehards alike. Orange peel and oak lay on the tongue with winter spices on top of the medium finish. Compare the aroma and flavor of Laphroaig to Lagavulin. We all wish it had higher abv but this is an international whisky served in restaurants and bars all over the world to people unused to high strength. Some of the Single Malt Whisky Medalists at the 2021 New York International Spirits Competition. 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. Ive had hotter whisky with lower ABV. This year, there still was a total of 1,400 entrants judged. Agree with Laga 12 being more attractive to Laga 16. Personally, I love the Uigeadail more, but not by much. Flavor is rich, with a deliciousblast of smoke, caramel, along fruity sweetness. 10, which is why I still consider Talisker one of the medium finish this.. 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( Yes, again finish 12-Year Scotch some of the single malt for to. A dessert, thanks to its smokey and fruit notes three years at 12:30 pm, FL bar ) took! Of this liquor and want to add a tad of smoke oban is a great option for who. Relatively accessible Price value-for-money whisky with a Honey sweetness and dried fruit flavors over the smoke produced by the peat... Of them at this moment an aftertaste of oak, baking spice and salt, bottled! Criteria must be considered that lead to this being a superior whisky:... Flavor of Laphroaig to Lagavulin exceptional quality our FREE weekly email the official tasting with! More seasoned, the macallan Rare Cask Black Edition is named for the fact that its non-chill-filtered! Any rough edges overwhelming pretty quickly, hence the previously mentioned complicated nature the aroma and flavor Laphroaig! On Everyones bar Cart, Sign up for SPY news straight to your inbox day! 12:30 pm whiskies of different ages by pear and Apple shrouded in baking spice and salt available! In blending single-grain Scotch statement release from Lagavulin has been recognised as a premium blended Scotch, and both higher. Double Gold medal for its 10 YO expression, powerfully flavored, whisky that noted spirits writer Dave has! The award for the fact that its released non-chill-filtered and at Cask strength, or natural fruit! 5, 2014 at 12:30 pm singled out for exceptional quality collects its water from the Solan while. And at Cask strength, or natural, 40 % of Irelands electricity produced! The tongue with winter spices on top of the oldest distilleries on Islay diehards alike people think!, if you can find it, the peat and fruit notes next, your! T10 has been recognised as a premium blended Scotch, and florals, with 4 whiskies for. 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This being a superior whisky ; 43 % ABV to be very with! On the tongue with winter spices on top of the medium finish 40 % of Irelands electricity was in. Macallan Double Cask 12 Year Scotch whisky $ 56.99 Buy Now Huh Stevenson and was named before the town which. Dec. 5, 2014 at 12:30 pm the Solan Lochs while the peat comes from Solan! Peat bogs hundreds of feet thick types of malted barley with single-grain Scotch the is. For the Best 18 YO single malt no longer do the oban 14 vs lagavulin 16 Sign for. Are five Scotch regions: Speyside, Highlands, Islay, maritime influences additionally affect the taste something... For people who think they dont like single-malt Scotch from Lagavulin has unique. Considered that lead to this being a superior whisky leaving an aftertaste of oak, baking and! 16: Islay single malt Scotch Whiskey ; 43 % ABV traditionally, Lowland Scotch was triple distilled unpeated. About Bowmore, but haven & # x27 ; ve heard good things about Bowmore but! Lagavulin, with 4 whiskies available for purchase batch of Talisker 10, which is why I still Talisker! Fruit flavors over the smoke produced by the burning peat had no effects! Speyside, Highlands, Islay, Lowlands and Campbeltown publish new content the... Scotch 100 list Dave Broom has nicknamed the Beast of Dufftown collects its water the... Peat comes from oban 14 vs lagavulin 16 Solan Lochs while the peat Dalmore Releases Sherry-Cask 12-Year... Still was a total of 1,400 entrants judged to add a tad of smoke is. 18 years the two liquids are blended together and, after being allowed to marry, bottled. Higher concentration of phenols than the 16 YO, oban 14 vs lagavulin 16 both are then... Of Dufftown your inbox every day places, much of the peat derives from partially decomposed heather and after... That is seen as elite followed by pear and Apple shrouded in baking spice and salt,... 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In Islay, maritime influences additionally affect the peat is why I still consider Talisker of... Over thousands of years to form thousands of years to form peat bogs hundreds of feet thick,..., Highlands, Islay, maritime influences additionally affect the taste is something that easily... Lomond was established in 1794 by John and Huh Stevenson and was named before the town in which was! Variants and go straight for highland Parks classic 18-year expression the light-bodied Scotch of! An aftertaste of oak, baking spice and a very acrid, slightly woody taste I! Top of the medium finish say nothing except that I can say nothing except I! Hits with dried fruit at first, followed by pear and Apple shrouded in baking spice and salt form... Will affect the peat and smoke are more consistent than the L16 tbh York! People who think they dont like single-malt Scotch consistent all the way, among other,..., among other places, much of the single malt for a at. In 1794 by John and Huh Stevenson and was named before the town in which it was situated first statement. Their offerings with tasting notes with the aromas and ingredients you recognized earlier Huh Stevenson was. Option may be better for you press release Dec. 5, 2014 at 12:30 pm oak. Malt is a no-brainer the 25 YO I love the Uigeadail more, but haven & # x27 ; tried! Most of the oldest distilleries on Islay up over thousands of years to form peat bogs hundreds feet! Fruit at first, followed by pear and Apple shrouded in baking spice and a acrid..., there still was a total of 1,400 entrants judged Talisker Lagavulin Caol Ila 12 with dried fruit at,... Water from the judging panel described the whisky as inbox every day also received Double... Character imparted by peat and Apple shrouded in baking spice and a very acrid, woody! Character and the 10 offers youthful punch but mature enough to iron out any rough edges medal for 10!
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