H2H- Lagavulin through the ages - as usual logic would dictate that the older ones would be better, but will that be the case? I already did a head to head of the 21, 25 and 30 and found the 25 to be better than most other people and between the 3 not that much in it so it will be interested to taste again. Lagavulin 16 is favourite of many on here for a go to islay dram and once price has been taken into account I can gauge the best value and I suspect the 16 will do well here. Mid 1960`s to present 37 year, all official bottlings Drams
https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/100508/lagavulin-guaranteed-pure-malt-pot-still https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/51469/lagavulin-16-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/75648/lagavulin-islay-jazz-festival-2015 https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/35109/lagavulin-1991 https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/613/lagavulin-1985 https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/12/lagavulin-25-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/10/lagavulin-30-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/44217/lagavulin-37-year-old
In theory the nose and palate should all have similarities so I will knock a few out from the start, tasting 8 heavy peaters is a lot for my palate. Nose The first to be discounted was the Jaz festival2015 and the 30 year but that might be because they were more delicate. next was the 21 year 1991 then the 37 year which left the NAS 1960`s, 16 year, 21 year 1985 and the 25 year.
A difficult decision 1 - 21 year 1985 2 - Pure Pot Still 60`s 3 - 37 year 4 - 16 year 5 - 25 year 6 - 30 year 7 - 21 year 1991 8 - 2015 Jazz festival Palate 1st tasting (tentative) 1 - 21 year 1985 2= - 21 year 1991 2= - 37 year 4 -2015 Jazz festival 5 - 25 year 6 - 30 year 7 - Pure Pot Still Nas 8 - 16 year
2nd tasting 1 -1985 21 year 2 - 1991 21year 3 - 37 year 4 - 25 year 5 - Jazz festival 2015 6 - 30 year 7 - 16 year 8 - Nas pure pot still (been open a while)
After 2 tastings my top 3 were the same with the 25 year moving to 4th the Nas was bottom with the 16 year just beating it. The 30 year was a little delicate in this company. The big question is and the one that should give us all hope is that there was little in the first 6 placings and the 16 year was not far behind but the exta years maturation told. If You took price into consideration then the 16 year can hold its head up high.
