Lagavulin 12 Year (2015 Special Release)

For this year's Burns Night, I decided to open the 2015 Lagavulin cask strength (12 years old) to compare it with the 2016 version. Starting with the 2015: it has a 113.6 proof and is non-chill filtered. It appears as a pale straw in the Glencairn glass and creates numerous long, elegant legs when swirled. A zesty lemon note accompanies the signature Lagavulin smoke rising from the glass. A faint aroma of orchard fruits lies beneath the smoke, requiring a deep inhale to detect. Superb. On the palate, it delivers pure Islay essence: charred oak, savory peat smoke, cinnamon, and black pepper spice. The high alcohol content is quite assertive. It's like a large bonfire still smoldering well into the finish. The finish itself offers a pleasing earthy pine and menthol, leading into a final surge of campfire smoke. It's a lengthy, warming finish that is truly satisfying. An incredible dram, as is typical. This represents Lagavulin at its finest. All the coastal and smoky character with a fantastic kick from the cask strength. My preferred Lagavulin so far. Happy Burns Night 2017, everyone. Cheers.

A friend nicely summarized the tasting notes, leaving me little to contribute. Do I enjoy it? Yes, it's an excellent whiskey, certainly deserving a 4 for flavor. My concern is twofold: the price is incredibly high at $125 USD, and its much older, significantly cheaper sibling (almost half the cost) completely surpasses it in value. I sampled the 16-year-old immediately after, and despite having a considerable 13.8% less alcohol by volume, it performed admirably, offering a depth and intricacy that overshadowed the 12-year-old. While they are distinct, I wouldn't purchase a bottle of the 12. They would need to halve the price. Considering its value, I can only award it a 3.5. Similar to its elder sibling, I'll round up because I can't quite justify a 3, but the current pricing seems quite excessive. Surprisingly, for a cask strength, I found it preferable without any water added; it didn't require it to mellow out.

Comparing this to the well-known 16 year old is unavoidable. Instead of a direct relative, think more of a distant cousin. It possesses the signature smoke of the 16, but it doesn't match the amazing depth. The high proof helps to compensate a little. It's still a great spirit, but those extra years truly add a lot of character and polish. If you don't have excess cash, why spend an extra fifty bucks on this when the 16 is practically flawless? I received this as a present, and I'm happy with it. For a similar experience at half the price, consider the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. It offers much of the character of the 12 year old, while toning down some of the harsher qualities found in Laphroaig.

This was delicious when I tried it at Hooverville Bar. It started off strong but a few drops of water really revealed a mild peat and caramel. I highly suggest it.

Flawless in the bottle.

Intensely Smoky