Lagavulin Distillery Exclusive 2017

When on Islay, be sure to bring home a bottle that you cannot find anywhere else, like this Distillery Exclusive 2017 from Lagavulin. I brough a bottle for my buddy Manny, who opened it immediately and asked me to score him another one ASAP. Thanks to a network of whisky friends, that was not a daunting task. In all honesty, I’m already sorry that I did not ask him to bring one for me as well, for this is a grand Lagavulin.

Lovely, very typical Lagavulin on the nose with loads of citrus, ship’s rope, toasted oak, peat smoke and vanilla. Very clean. Gummy bears at the campfire! Dried apricots, wet wood and almonds kick in. Candied orange peel. Lovely!

It is creamy and mouth coating, fairly picquant on a lot of woodspice. Tar and soot kick in with a vengeance, but it does remain fruity and sweet. The oak is a little louder than expected, just like the peat. The smoke becomes quite grand. Salted caramel, oranges again… ah, this is truly wonderful.

The finish is very long, dark and sweet and smoky on an extra load of ashes.

I think I have just tried my favorite Lagavulin. Strike that: I’m sure! Thx, Manny!

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