LAGAVULIN 37 YEAR OLD

Am I dreaming? Is this real? Have I truly experienced a Lagavulin 37-year-old single malt? Well, my friends, fortunately, I have. Lagavulin might not only be the king of Islay (a debatable claim, I know), but in my honest opinion, it also ranks among the top 3 distilleries globally. (Try to argue against that, lol). I had never even seen this bottle before; I wasn't aware it existed. But I discovered one at Usquabae bar in Edinburgh. I couldn't resist trying it; I had to experience it. It was distilled in 1976 and bottled in 2013 at a pleasant 51% ABV. It matured in refill American oak and European oak casks. Only 1868 bottles were ever produced. A true rarity. On the nose, it was incredible. Smoky cigarettes, ham, sherry. The smokiness on the nose is exceptional, especially when it transforms into a glazed pork note after a few seconds. Salty and waxy; aromas of prunes, lemon, and ashtray. Fish and lulo fruit peel. It smells divine; sherried cherries. Oh my goodness, the palate is spectacular. A prominent chocolate note combined with hazelnut and vanilla. Salt, red chili, and plants. Very herbal after holding it on the palate for a few seconds. Wet grass and smoke. On the second sip, the sherry and red fruits emerged. The sherry, the fruitiness, the saltiness, everything is so harmonious; mud and earthiness. Wow, simply wow. The aftertaste is the perfect conclusion to a perfect dram. Smoky, salty, cigarettes, and ashes. Gunpowder. It can only be described as an epic Lagavulin finish. I'm curious how it retains such smokiness after 37 long years. Overall, you might assume that discovering this bottle overwhelmed me, leading to a perfect score, but that's not the case. I tasted it after experiencing a Talisker 1953, which is even more legendary, and this one surpassed it. This could very well be the perfect Lagavulin, which is a significant statement in itself. My score is 100 out of 100, and this will undoubtedly be among my top ten whiskies tasted in 2023.

An old English poet, Thomas Tusser, wrote centuries ago, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” Apparently, that sentiment still holds true today, as I now possess #358 of 1,868 bottles. It makes for a nice display piece.:)