Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2016 54.5% NV

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (90)

6000 bottles are a lot, if only jazz would be this successful!… Anyway, the Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival is a great event, it’s a total thrill to listen to, say Donny McCaslin at Lagavulin Hall with good friends and while sipping… Lagavulin. Yes I can speak from personal knowledge. And so, this is my 14,000th whisky, taking neither other spirits, nor Angus’s own tasting notes into account. Colour: white wine, so no sherry in sight this time. Excuse me? If I’m going to complain because this is NAS? Sure I will. Good, consider it done… Nose: we are, as expected, extremely close to the Lg8. Profiles are totally similar, this one being just a wee tad rougher, despite a lower strength. Let’s say it’s a notch grassier and muddier, and perhaps smokier, and perhaps a little more austere. With water: once again, we’re going towards more mud, damp fabric, wool… Mouth (neat): it’s a wee bit less sweet, and a wee tad more complex than the fantastic Lg8. Perhaps is that the lower natural strength? Hints of white currants and gooseberries, which were not to be found in Elixir’s. Other than that, peat smoke, clams, lemons, cane sugar, oysters, and perhaps a little more tar than in other Lagas. But Laga’s not a very tarry whisky, is it. With water: lovely fresh almonds, orgeat, a leafiness… Finish: long, a tad fatter and waxier this time, with small notes of smoked salmon and fat Loch Fyne oysters. Indeed that’s a matter of taste. Comments: let’s talk jazz, I’m totally in love with Kamasi Washington’s latest album. I know he’s big and that smaller players could be just as good if not better, but there, I just love it, can’t help it. It’s the same with this little Lagavulin.

Malt Fascination (90)

The nose is much heavier than I remember the 2015 to be. Warm and dark and wintry. Scents of mud and marram grass. Old oak and dunnage warehouses. There are some young edges, and a bit of green-ness to it.

Initially the palate is sharp and fierce, but with time it mellows a bit. It does get a bit drier too. Green with moss and ferns. Oak, campfire with earthy notes and straw. Dirt and dunnage warehouses. Slightly sweet later on.

The aftertaste is quite rich and a tad lighter. It’s long and dry with straw and marram again. That earthy, muddy dunnage scent is there again too.

Well, to be honest, this is a cracker! Much better than the 2015 version if you ask me. Truly good whisky with a nice and young edge, but quintessential Lagavulin.