Lagavulin
Feis Ile 2022 Lagavulin 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl
**This year's Feis Ile bottle does not have an outer packaging
An unusually rich, full-bodied, and sweet-spicy Lagavulin in which powerful oak spice seems to control the smoke until water releases it to pour forth from its hiding place; forward in style and bursting with self-confidence.
First Feis bottling under the new Distillery Manager, Jordan Paisley.
Cask Information: Matured in refill American Oak Hogsheads and finished in virgin American Oak casks.
Bottles available: 6,336
Appearance
Pale gold with green lights, good beading, and legs.
Body
Full.
Nose
A mild nose with light prickle. Unusually for Lagavulin, the first creamy top note suggests bread and butter pudding, but the impression soon fades as the aroma begins to reveal its provenance: distant faintly breezy, maritime notes of crystalline salt and tide-line seaweed come forward to join hints of medicinal salve or rub. Quite meaty. Water brings up a sour note at first, which is soon out played by the medicinal notes and increasing, scented wood smoke.
Palate
At natural strength, the texture is thick, mouth filling and lightly oily and the very sweet initial taste is also very spicy. It soon becomes drying, as the sweetness is sharpened by a lick of salt and all that oak-spice, and smoky. A good drop of water really emphasises the smooth sweetness and as if released by it an ashy smokiness comes through in waves, backed more respectfully now by the oaky wood-spice.
Finish
Long, intense, and lightly drying, with waves of smoke edged by lingering spice and a mouth-cooling aftertaste that suggests Sichuan pepper. With water, still longer and smoother and yet also still spicy; again, with plenty of smoke and chilli pepper.
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