Lagavulin 12 Year Old bottled 2010 10th Release

I agree that this was an excellent, high powered whisky that raised the hair on the back of my neck. And the 2011 was also excellent. Unfortunately the 2012 is a big drop in quality. Hopefully it was just the bottle I have and Laga will be back up to excellent by the next bottle I buy. Anyone experience this with the 2012?

Victor, Taco I couldn't agree with you both more. I switch to the Lagavulin 12y Cast Strength in 2010 for the same reasons. I have 1/3 of a bottle of 2011 left. The first big sip always gives me a full body shutter. I love the stuff. I hate it when I here the 2012 is a lesser dram. Dram it, Ben

@Taco, thanks for your comments. I have tasted the 2012, and I did also find that it had lost quite a few volts of power compared to the 2010. It was a rather mild experience by comparison. I haven't tasted the 2011 yet, but I am happily sitting on an unopened bottle of it for later enjoyment.

@Benancio, good to see you back on Connosr!

@Taco, @Benancio, There will be a 2013 release of Lagavulin 12 YO to look forward to before long. Hopefully it will return to the form of the 2010 and the 2011 releases.

I have an open bottle of Laga 12 2011. Love it, its a brutal beast. Best whisky I've tasted I stocked up on it after the drop in quality in the 2012. Really hope its not a continuing trend that appears in future releases. Just love this stuff too much.

So you also thought the 2012 was less quality? I guess I'm not crazy. I looked for weeks for any 2011's after tasting the 2012 and could not find another bottle. The only other whisky that has "sent me into nirvana" like the older Laga 12 is a bottling of Ardbeg 10 that was fantastic. Luckily I found two more of it and have one still stashed.

Shame about the 2012 - I had grand plans of opening that one. How would you rate it as a stand alone? Not being compared to the 2010?

I only had one sample of the 2012 Lagavulin 12. It was pretty nice, but seemed weak in flavours compared to the 2010 release. I would probably rate it somewhere around 87. It had delicacy, but just lacked that big-time power that the 2010 release has. The 2012 release sings you a gentle song, whereas the 2010 release grabs you by the throat...in a good way.

Seems to me the 2010 and '11 are very similar siblings. I recognize the confectionary icing sugars and the sophisticated peat. I also held back on purchasing the '12 bottling. Hopefully the '13 bottling will bring back the standard. Thank you Victor for yet another wonderful review! Coming out with my review of the 2011 in a few days, happy dramming fellas!!

Great news! (for me)

I checked my bottle of Lag 12 and it's the 2010 bottling!!!

I almost didn't get it. When I read about it (must have been in 2011 or early 2012) I knew nothing about batch variations. There was none left in Toronto and I got a teetotalling friend to pick up what I think was the last bottle in London Ontario. And the best thing was, he ended up refusing to let me pay for it! Now THAT's a steal of a deal.

I did get to try the 2011 and 2014 at @talexander's (thanks) and liked the 2011 better. I'm looking forward to the day I open up this beauty.

You liked the 2011 better because it is an awesome bottling! The 2014 is very good, but not at the level of the 2011, and maybe the 2010.