Lagavulin 13 Year Fèis Ìle 2021

Feis Ile is Islay's premier celebration, and Lagavulin, the undisputed leader, consistently presents a special bottling for this occasion. Rest assured, you'll almost certainly find enjoyment in it. The 2021 edition was a 13-year-old, single cask strength offering with a Port finish. It was bottled at 56.1% ABV and possessed a tawny hue. The aroma begins with intensity. It features notes of aviation fuel and red berries, alongside banana; it also brings to mind new car interiors. Hints of mint and wood shavings are present. After the initial taste, it evoked a distinct sensation of Fanta soda. Banana bread and plastic notes followed. Remarkable spirit, truly excellent. The initial taste brings forth "Crush" cola, which was an Ecuadorian competitor to Fanta Soda, vying for market share in the 1980s and 1990s. Salt, peat, and the sensation you get when you almost swallow a Tylenol but hold it on your tongue for a couple of seconds. The third taste revealed a profoundly sweet flan caramel flavor. A truly wonderful, intricate, and remarkable dram. The finish carries the legendary "Bite." It compels you to confront the flavors emerging from your throat. Cigarettes, red fruits, and hay smoke. Salty grains and the magnificent Lagavulin peat. In summary, this further confirms Lagavulin's status as Islay's reigning monarch. It is refined, potent, engaging, rich in flavor, yet remains more approachable than other Cask Strength Islay malts. The Port cask imparted a touch of eccentricity to this dram, but in a positive way. The first sip suggested, "This would be ideal before bed"; the second shifted my mindset to, "I need to hit a bar immediately until dawn," and the third was simply, "This is absolutely superb." My assessment for this powerhouse is a well-earned 95 out of 100.

The aroma is citrusy, with a distinct freshness and bitterness – it's clearly influenced by the port barrels used for finishing. Sweeter red fruits emerge, a sweetness not found in Lagavulin's core range. On the other hand, the characteristic meaty and earthy profile, along with the coastal bonfire of green wood, is present as usual. On the palate, the smoke and alcohol are as expected, but only briefly. It then feels like drinking a higher-proof 16-year-old Lagavulin, but with an added port wine aroma. This might not be a surprising comparison, but that's precisely the sensation. I'm uncertain if this sweetness detracts from the Laga style, but I don't think so. For me, it introduces a very different dimension of aromas and sweetness. In essence, this is a distinct Lagavulin that doesn't claim superiority over others but simply offers consumers another option. The finish is of moderate length, reminiscent of a campfire, but with a very persistent sweet plum compote flavor. 87/100 WBR, a sweeter alternative to the standard lineup.

Port sweetness combines with Lagavulin's smoky, meaty character, leading to a flavor reminiscent of cigars. Nose: Raisins, Blackberries, Salted Caramel, Iodine, Milk Chocolate, Dates, Plums, Oranges, Peaches, Honey, Walnuts, Vanilla, Toasted Marshmallows, Barbecue Sauce, Pork Ribs, Grapefruits Palate: Smoke, Iodine, Raisins, Salted Chocolate, Honey, Beef, Cherries, Figs, Dates, Prunes, Tar, Vanilla, Peaches Finish: Raisins, Honey, Smoke, Grapefruit, Dark Chocolate, Plums, Oranges, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Cinnamon, Mocha

Peat-forward aroma with sea salt. Wonderful. The flavor is a bit sweet, dominated by vanilla with a hint of banana, and a salty peat undertone. It's more floral peat than anticipated, with a heavy body and an excellent finish, but it needs more depth for balance.

A hint of raspberry on the nose, a thick, viscous texture that coats the mouth with a gasoline-like peat and an unusually dry, mouth-puckering finish. A satisfying variation on a Lagavulin.

Quite remarkable, to be honest!