Lagavulin 12 years (2019)

Here’s the Lagavulin 12 Year Old for this year, matured in refill American oak and distilled in 2006 / 2007.

This time the packaging takes the style from the ‘rare by nature’ theme of the Special Releases 2019 instead of the usual Lagavulin styling. Nice but collectors will not be happy, I suppose.

Lagavulin 12 yo (56,5%, OB 2019, 19th release, refill American oak, 60.000+ btl.)

Nose: youthful and intense, with a lot of carbolic soap, mossy notes, menthol and deep bonfire smoke. Hints of chilli and green pepper, and plenty of medicinal notes. Tarry ropes and other coastal notes. Big and powerful, the fans will be happy.

Mouth: more medicinal than I remembered it, slightly sweeter as well. Coastal, ashy, leathery, with flashes of lemons. Salted caramel. Bonfires and big phenols. Hints of smoked peaches and pears in the background. Some chilli heat, leading to dark roast coffee beans.

Finish: very long, on dark cocoa, pepper and drying cigar leaves and ashes.

Deep peat smoke, big medicinal notes, sweetness to balance it out. Reliable and delicious: an Islay cornerstone. Available online from Master of Malt or The Whisky Exchange or your local retailer of course.

Score: 90/100