Lagavulin Lagavulin The Distillers Edition NV 750ml

Bright copper penny/burnished orange color; ideal purity. Initial smells feature truckloads of salted peanuts, almond paste, and pipe tobacco; further air contact stimulates atypical scents of chalk/limestone, metal tubing (copper, perhaps), Band-Aids, rust/corrosion, and peated malt. Palate entry is austerely focused on the oak, making the taste seem narrow and one-dimensional; midpalate sees a major and welcome direction adjustment as the flavor profile turns honeyed, nutty/nougaty, concentrated, and lusciously dark caramel-like. Finishes with a flurry of boldly assertive tastes, including butterscotch, marzipan, sherry, egg cream, and brine. Started slowly in the uneven bouquet and one-note entry, then took off like a rocket at midpalate, finishing both elegantly and strongly. Far from the best or most consistent Lagavulin, but a goodie nevertheless.

It’s a brave person who tries to persuade a malt like Lagavulin to go into a different direction. Indeed, even PX casks, from the sweetest fortified wine of all, can’t fully obscure the distillery’s character, just give it a raisined coating. The creosote turns to tar and licorice, while there’s Syrah-like sootiness, and damson. This release is slightly less sweet than in the past and is the better for it, though I still prefer my Lagavulin relatively ‘naked.’ (Vol. 21, #2) Reviewed by: Dave Broom