A couple of European Lagavulin fans bought a cask of Lagavulin 21 Year Old some time ago. Two of them are better known as the WhiskyNerds, the others are from Germany and Norway if I’m not mistaken.
It became a Select Cask bottling, similar to the Casks of Distinction programme but in this case Select Cask indicates double maturation or married in one select cask as they say on the label. Hence the weird cask number #001… it’s a typical European oak ex-bodega butt finish. Similar casks #2 and #3 went to China.
Lagavulin 21 yo 1997 (56,6%, OB ‘Select Cask’ for European Lagavulin fans 2018, European oak cask #0001, 158 btl.)
Lagavulin 21 yo 1997 (56,6%, OB ‘Select Cask’ for European Lagavulin fans 2018, European oak cask #0001, 158 btl.)Nose: a very refined, balanced nose. Gentle peat smoke, seashells, walnuts, a little tobacco. Not much sherry influence, but the European oak brings spices although I also get some natural vanilla. Subtle iodine, dried kelp and tar. Carbolineum. A hint of pine resin, maybe dried apple. Just a nice touch of fresh orange juice as well. Yeah well, rather perfect.
Mouth: now there’s a sweet tobacco side, some toffee and Demerara sugar (sherry after all) before it gets back to camphor, walnuts, hints of coffee and coastal notes. Didn’t expect such sweetness from the nose. Liquorice. Some leafy notes. Sweet menthol (cough syrup). A bit of orange liqueur now. All great descriptors: this is classic stuff.
Finish: long, on smoked fish, black peppercorns, marmalade and hints of sweet oak.
Excellent Lagavulin, with a very wide array of flavours, great depth and a flawless balance. Pretty immense. Around € 1300 but sold out before it was available.
Score: 93/100