Lagavulin 12 Year Old Diageo Special Releases 2019

This old faithful release is a fan favourite. Just look at the number of bottles released. With 60.762 bottles worldwide this is clearly a wanted one. No surprise. The Laga’s from the Special Releases have always been great and this will be no exception, I’m sure. The only downside – from a collector’s point of view – might be the packaging that is quite at odds with previous releases, because of the ‘Rare by Nature’ theme. Oh, well. I’m more interested in the liquid.

Bang! Bull’s eye from the get-go. Textbook Lagavulin, but with balls. Carbolic soap, mouthwash, pine cones, peat in a straightjacket. At the same time some wet moss, green peppers and ship’s rope. This is chiseled.

On the palate, it is fatty and immediately surprisingly sweet. Sure, the typical characteristics are there: lemon, salted caramel, a mackerel on the BBQ, charcoal; but I am pleasantly surprised by the sweet notes of apricots, banana, pears and lime juice. Tobacco leaves. Grand and warming.

The finish is very, very long, smoky and again surprisingly sweet.

The nay-sayers will be baffled with this surprisingly sweet Lagavulin – Sweetavulin! – once they have tried it. Recommended.

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