Light up the fireplace, get a glass and put your feet up. On moments like this I pour myself a dram that doesn’t require much thought. And while Lagavulin 16yo has no permanent spot in my cabinet anymore, I can’t help myself but feel this is one of the few drams that fit the setting just perfectly.
The sherried sixteen year old Lagavulin was one of my first peated single malts ever. I never liked it for a full 100%, but sipping this brings back fond memories. On this cold and rainy day I’m feeling nostalgic and think it’s a good moment to revisit this one:
A whiff of sulfur and redcurrants. A strange combination of thick smoke and something sour. The maltiness and sweet embers make up for it.
The palate is surprisingly tropical with kiwi and smoked pineapple. It has a copper element and some fresh sawdust, with red fruits to top it off.
Dried currants, pineapple and toasted oak. An extinguished bonfire, struck matches, pecan and sweet barley. After a while, the taste of sulfur remains and doesn’t go away.
The combination of sherry and peat is not something we generally prefer, it works as an amplifier of the sulfur that’s already very present in many Lagavulins. It’s not too bad though, there are worse examples, it definitely works for nostalgic reasons.