Lagavulin Distillers Edition 2016 43% nv

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (83)

One of the few bottlings that I should hate (finishing some Lagavulin?) and that I usually like a lot. Even if, in my opinion, the tremendous quality of the first one, that 1979, isn’t totally here anymore. But the DEs are still singing loud… Colour: dark gold. Nose: bwah bwah bwah (did you take your potion S.?) Did anyone ever tried to use pencil shavings for smoking ‘stuff’? Cedar wood, burning fir wood, Vicks VapoRub, huge piles of dried kelp, and prunes. And dried mushrooms. And black olive brine. And bitter oranges. My it wouldn’t keep quiet! Did they find the old recipe again, perhaps in an old drawer? Mouth: well, perhaps not quite, it’s a tad too oak-forward for me. Caramelised wood and caraway liqueur, burnt honey sauce, rum… The whole’s really thick and even heavy, we’ve lost a part of the complexity that was obvious in the nose. Chocolate and salt, and a chipsy feeling, as we say in wine (that would be oak chips). Finish: long, a little fat, and even a little liqueury. That must be the PX – oh, forgot to say that it was finished in PX. PX kills many whiskies if you ask me; but of course this one isn’t quite dead. And it doesn’t even smell funny. Comments: I completely adored the nose, while I was a little less fond of the palate. Perhaps isn’t it ‘Lagavulin’ enough for me? Did it change? Did I change? We’ll see what happens next year…

Words of Whisky (86)

Nose: the downward sweetness trend of the past few years is still going – very good. More menthol and eucalyptus oil, very light medicinal touches. Cigar boxes, warm ashes and traces of oranges. Nice profile. Mouth: starts on spices and molasses, before it gets darker and sootier, with dark chocolate. I’m not getting the sherry as such, it seems a little washed out and just vaguely caramelly. Then back to mint and sweet coffee, with obvious notes of fresh, peppery oak. Finish: long, with ashes, a hint of Kahlua and sweet liquorice.
On the one hand: good whisky, especially on the nose. On the other hand: in my book it’s loosing points almost every year, on the palate. Some of the more unique notes are disappearing and it’s more towards toffee and chocolate.