Lagavulin 25 Year

Lagavulin 25, marking the distillery’s 200th anniversary. Bottled directly from the cask at 51.7% ABV, aged in sherry oak. A genuine rarity; this is bottle no. 53 out of 8000. Does any of this justify the outrageous $1200 price tag? Well... here we are. Smell: All the expected peaty, smoky, briny notes from Lagavulin. Campfire smoke, seaweed, sea salt, a bit medicinal. However, it's more subdued, and much less in-your-face than their other offerings. Caramel, milk and dark chocolate, plus toffee and vanilla. Plum and apricot. Blue raspberry and grilled pineapple. Orange citrus. Coconut. Black pepper, black tea, and cigar smoke. Walnut and chestnut. Roasted almond. A birthday cake aroma. As expected with twenty-five years of aging, significant oak presence. Magnificent. Taste: A torrent of flavor. More campfire smoke, sea salt, brine, seaweed, peat and medicinal notes. Pronounced iodine. A strong hit of dark and mint chocolate. An assortment of smoked meats and barrel spice. Caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Orange, grapefruit, and lime citrus, with additional blue raspberry, apple, pomegranate, cherry, and apricot notes. Sherry. Black pepper, black tea, walnut, chestnut, and oak. Similar to the smell, but with a few extra dimensions. Unmatched taste. Finish: A substantial amount of peat and grilled meat. Dark and milk chocolate and salted caramel. Oak, black pepper, cinnamon, sea salt. More black tea and tobacco. All the briny and smoky notes reappear. More of the citrus, particularly orange and lime. A long finish. And that's my final review. There's nowhere else to go....or so it seems. But if I wanted a perfect farewell, I'd do it with this one. Everything about it is simply incredible. It's my new favorite whisky. The brine, peat, and smoke notes on the nose, if that makes any sense, seem more like a fleeting thought than a concrete reality. To explain further, when I move my nose away from the glass, I'm uncertain if those initial notes were even present. Perhaps it's because it's so much less intense than other Lag expressions, or maybe it's due to the many more layers behind them. It's an odd observation, but it really stood out to me. There's no doubt about the peat-forward character on the palate. It's a three-course meal with dessert. Does it lack anything? Let's see. Peat, smoke, brine, medicinal, meat, sweet fruit, citrus fruit, dessert sweetness, nuts, spice, and oak. Yes, that's pretty much everything I could think to look for in a whisky. All executed flawlessly, and astonishingly well-integrated. And the finish delivered on every level. It's a summary of the finest aspects of the nose and palate, extending to a long conclusion that reminds me of the end of a day spent at the beach during my childhood. Was it worth the money? I'm not even sure anymore. I feel like I should say, "No, no whisky is worth this much." I could have bought a very mediocre car, or a really nice television for this amount. But that money is long gone, and what I have is this exceptional Scotch that I've been savoring for quite some time. And I'm content with what I possess. So, for a change, I'll skip the value discussion and instead announce that I have a new favorite whisky. Well done, Lagavulin.

Full disclosure, I had three servings this weekend, including one today while on vacation, but I don't have it in my glass as I'm writing. I would normally never do this, but multiple glasses, with or without water, and multiple servings... I believe I can judge this fairly, though perhaps these aren't my best tasting notes. Nose - It's an unbelievably fruity explosion with nothing comparable upfront. It's a rich, sherry-forward dessert explosion that shifts to mint (spearmint) and tobacco with smoky oak and spice. Taste - This arrives with a punch of unbelievable sweetness. It's a dark, deep fruit profile driven by waxy oils and subtle vanilla. Initially, it's like candy for a child, and while unique, it's not yet mind-blowing. The whisky then evolves into oak, spices, tobacco, mint... much like the nose. The oak is perfect, offering a tannic touch with sweet oak and flawless harmony. It actually took me 45 minutes with a small dram before I fully accepted that the mint was distinct and not an influence from the tobacco notes. There's so much more going on, but these were the highlights. Overall - This is a standout, a unicorn compared to the roughly 20 Lagavulin special releases I've encountered. I generally don't review these because I've had most of them at a friend's place where we DO review some of these on his channel, often together, so I don't post reviews here, but I have substantial experience with them, far more than I deserve. This and the 24-year-old 1991, 2015 release... which we have a review coming for, are the two EPIC standouts we've had. A few others stand out, but they don't immediately come to mind. So, the price? Well, I don't want to delve too deeply into what my friend paid, but $1100-1800 USD is roughly the range this is going for, with better deals in the US and much worse for our UK friends. Alright, let me rant for a second.... So, is this worth over a thousand dollars? Well... do you want a unique flavor you can't get anywhere else? If so, this is the cost of entry. That said, the market's response is somewhat mixed. It's many years old and still available, but it's diminishing as enthusiasts of this bottle purchase it, and I'm sure for years it will appear at auctions as enthusiasts buy whisky as an investment... that's somewhat cool because it means we can acquire bottles later, but it also means people just buy them so genuine buyers can't? Anyway, is this superior to some Lagavulins for less? Perhaps, but there's nothing else they've produced that's ANYTHING like this, at least in the last 5-10 years that I've experienced. So if you desire this incredibly fruity dessert Lagavulin profile, get this one. It's your ONLY option. So, the score? Well, my 5-star rating doesn't mean a PERFECT whisky; it simply signifies an insanely high standard for the best of the best of the best I've encountered. It's a 5-star bottle. This is truly an epic dram, one you will never forget.

A whiskey only seen on the Instagram feeds of the wealthy, the incredibly rare, unique, and elusive, the Lagavulin 25 years old, 200th anniversary. During my visit to Lagavulin, I went to the distillery bar, closed my eyes, and told the bartender: "Here's my credit card, don't tell me the price because I'll cry, but pour me a glass of the Lagavulin 25yo 200th anniversary." She complied. I have no regrets. (My bank account does). This legendary single malt was bottled for a remarkable distillery anniversary, at 51.7% ABV, and was fully matured in PX sherry casks. On the nose, it's intensely sherried. Dark fruits, red fruits, blackberries. A hint of the sea emerges. THE WORLD-RENOWNED BLACKBERRY MARMALADE. After the first sip, the aroma became otherworldly. Plums, berries, syrup. Coffee beans and toffee. Outstanding. On the palate, it's delightfully wine-like. Red fruits, blackberries, and coffee. Wonderful dried fruits. The aftertaste provided a fitting conclusion for a perfect dram. Mellowed smoke, elegantly sherried. Warm toffee and coffee. A kick of salt and pepper. The peat has transformed into elegance and sherry beauty. Overall, I must say this is why I traveled to Scotland. As a whisky enthusiast, you must seek out the rarest, most extraordinary, amazing single malts in the world. And the good news is, you can have a glass without needing to take out a mortgage to buy a whole bottle. This Lagavulin is sheer perfection. It should be renamed 'single heaven' instead of single malt. My humble rating for one of the greatest whiskies I've ever experienced is, naturally, 100 out of 100. Cheers!

From Feis Ile 2018, live. My partner and I sampled this during the manager’s masterclass on the initial day of the Lagavulin-owned Feis Ile. This is a dark spirit, similar in hue to the Distillers Edition even without added coloring. Notes of chocolate, caramel, and oil on the aroma serve as a fitting preview for a rich, fruit-packed taste. There's a surprising absence of burn. The conclusion is delightful, with mellowed peat and barbecue smoke. Ultimately, as excellent as this whisky is, the Feis experience at Lagavulin might be superior, and it’s exceptionally generous too. Complimentary drams of Lagavulin 16, 8, and Distillers Edition, free cocktails, shirts for attendees, live music, and a stunning location on Islay’s southern coast. It’s a gesture of thanks to the fans, not merely another revenue stream exploiting our passion for the product. You could actually attend Feis Ile Lagavulin day, spend nothing, and absorb everything. We did, of course, purchase various tastings and two Feis bottles, so we didn’t quite leave empty-handed;)

Exceptional spirit, surpassing even Laphroaig 32. This exhibits Glendronach characteristics alongside its rich dark fruit and savory notes. Nose: Red Apples, Barbecue Pork Ribs, Raisins, Smoke, Chocolate, Toffee, Cherries, Dates, Pineapples, Figs, Flowers, Maple Syrup, Oranges, Iodine, Rubber, Tar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Hazelnuts, Almonds, Sultanas, Walnuts, Cloves, Anise, Prunes, Strawberries Palate: Raisins, Chocolate, Brine, Toffee, Salted Cod, Red Apples, Cherries, Dates, Figs, Beef, Smoke, Peat, Tar, Barbecue Pork, Oranges, Blackcurrants, Cloves, Cinnamon, Licorice, Prunes, Apricots, Mangoes, Papayas, Pineapples, Guava, Maple Syrup Finish: Raisins, Oranges, Salted Chocolate, Beef, Cherries, Dates, Red Apples, Toffee, Prunes, Ash, Licorice, Raspberries, Smoked Hickory Ribs, Mangoes, Passion Fruit. $47/oz at Fine and Rare.

Nothing edible on this planet is worth this price, yet here I am to inform you that 1220 out of 8000 is mine. My fondness for Lagavulin and its appearance alone compelled me to purchase this. After some investigation, I observed that the 25-year-old, 2002 edition has nearly doubled in market value at auction since its release. Considering the historical importance of the 200th-anniversary bottlings, I am certain this investment will maintain its worth as long as I can resist the urge to consume it. It would require a very special occasion for me to open this treasure, so for now, I will justify my indulgence as a fine art acquisition, and hope my spouse does not discover the receipt.:)