Introduction
Lagavulin 16 (2009)
I think this is my first repeat review, but I’m going to change my rating on this one, so I wanted to write about it again. I’m talking about Lagavulin 16 (43% abv), this one bottled in 2009. This expression is surely matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, but I can’t find any concrete description of their “recipe” like HP provides for their various expressions. My previous Laga 16 review was based on a 200ml bottle from 2006 that came with my Islay Collection pack. The price of this well known Islay single malt has dropped at the local big box liquor store (in AZ) from $80 to $70, more in line with California pricing. I hope it stays that way!
Tasting notes
Lagavulin 16 (OB); 43%; Bottled 2009
Nose: Great balance of peat smoke and sherry fruits/sweetness. The sherry isn’t strong, hinting at mixed cask maturation, but the overall effect is a rich one. It’s smoky, but not quite the camp fire you get with Ardbeg. There’s oak, but not in your face like Laphroaig QC. Definitely some iodine involved in the mix as well. Palate: A rich, creamy mouth feel with a pleasant drying sensation and a bit of subtle spice. All parts of the tongue are involved in the experience. It could be stronger, though, with more spiciness. I think it would border on perfection if they could infuse a Talisker-like pepper and bottle it at 46-48%. Finish: Very long, with continued drying on the tongue, along with some sweetness. Peat smoke and dried fruits linger perfectly in the back of the nostrils.Comments: I’ve probably tried 50 additional whisky expressions since I first had Lagavulin 16. I still haven’t found a better “standard” expression, and only a couple of the premium bottlings I’ve had can equal or beat Lagavulin 16 (for my tastes). I know there are still a LOT of whiskies out there to try, but no matter what I discover in the future, this one will stand as an amazingly balanced and rewarding dram. Sure, I’d like to see it bottled at a little higher ABV, but I’m not sure they can afford to do this. It might be too good of a core expression! What would they do for an encore?
I put this right below Laphroaig 30 and HP 30, with this one being a much better value.
Rating
- Score: 92/100 (A)
- Bottom Line: Amazing balance and grace for a smoky, medicinal Islay malt. One of the very best.
- Score higher if: Well, 92 points is pretty high. You’re just going to have to try it and see if it’s “special” to you.
- Score lower if: 43% just doesn’t cut it for you anymore; you prefer a more ashy/tarry peat in your Islay malt.
- Value: Not cheap at $65-$90, but I have no problem with the price, as I think this tops all of the 18 year malts I’ve tried in the same price range.
Comparisons
I compared this new 2009 bottle to the end of my 2006 Laga 16 bottle. They’re very similar, but I felt like there was a little bit of additional toffee sweetness in the 2006 version. Both on the nose and the finish. I think it was because of this that the smoke and dried fruits seemed a little more muted on the nose in the 2006 bottling. I also tried a little bit of Laphroaig Triple Wood next to the two Laga 16 drams. I really like the Laphroaig, but the sherry cask finishing just doesn’t provide quite the same level of integration and balance that the Lagavulin 16 offers.
I would compare the Laga 16 and 12 year old expressions, but they’re really completely different beasts. The 12 year (most likely matured only in bourbon casks) reminds me of a cask strength Caol Ila. Much more ashy and peppery than the 16 year. Plus, the 12 year is bottled at cask strength. The 12 year is also excellent, but you need to try both. It’s not an either-or proposition.
Other opinions
WHISKYFUN.COM by Serge has reviewed a 2009 bottle of Lagavulin 16 and gave it a very respectable 90 points. Check out Serge’s great review.
The always entertaining Ralfy recently did a video review of the Laga 16. He also gave it 90 points:
Scotch Hobbyist's Blog 
jeff,
well well.
one of my favorites of all time. did u ever hear a guy not loving laga 16?
all my whisky friends adore it.
peat wise, i think it’s amazing. it’s in the prime of it’s time. not too old to loose the peat OOMPH, and not to young as to have that complexity we all look for in a dram.
i also love the fact that dear old ralfy has turned to quite a peat lover (laga 12,laga 16, laga 16 DE , Kilchoman , Laphraoig QC etc… and all in recent Vlogs)
i can never have enough of this beauty. i can drink it anytime (as long as it’s not too hot).
Slainte!
This is my “go to” bottling – especially when it was only $50 at Astor (still cheap – but there’s always shipping involved).
I’d be hard pressed to pick another bottling that would fit all the “holes” in my palette as universally as the Laga16 – there’s obviously other stuff I like better “in the moment” and that have something special/unique about them, but this is MY “all ’rounder” at present.
I’ve had a number of different Lagavulin expressions – and each has its own merits (esp. the 12 Cask Strength & ’91 DE). But the 16 is amazingly solid.
I always come back to Lagavulin 16, Talisker 10, Laphroaig QC, and Caol Ila 12 as my ‘base expressions’ that must be on-hand at all times. With Laga16 being a solid #1.
Glad to see you, like me, have experienced changing tastes over time – and that you’re not afraid to acknowledge it. I can remember when I *hated* Bourbon (not too long ago…) and now some of the good stuff is nearly as enjoyable as my best Scotch (esp. Ryes…).
My tastes have “developed” over the past couple of years significantly, and I find I have a much greater appreciation of various drams now than I did before, and some stuff I didn’t like I know have a great appreciation for!
I enjoy your notes, because I think we’re kind of at the same point – in terms of appreciation and experience, and our tastes are very close – it really helps give me a sense of my own palette and what I might enjoy (i.e. Caol Ila Unpeated) – so thanks!
Happy New Year Jeff & other readers as well!
Lagavulin 16 is the best of the Islay malts in my humble opinion. As for the price, it is worth it because it is simply one of the best and delivering a flavor profile not replicated anywhere else in the whisky realm.
Cheers!
Jason
Nice review, Jeff.
Laga 16 is definitely one of those whiskies that is approachable, but represents the Islay style pretty nicely. It’s a delicious whisky that I wish weren’t so expensive everywhere. If only we could all get it at Warehouse in NY for $50…
Thanks for the comments, guys!
After having a great New Year’s Eve, I’ve been down and out the past couple of days (head cold and fever), and just didn’t get around to responding.
I’m looking forward to getting back on my feet and discovering some great new drams. Next up…Balvenie 17 Year Madiera Cask (actually, I already got a sneak preview of this a couple of nights ago…very nice).
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Jeff
You definitely need to get out here to NYC. Lagavulin 16 is $50 at Warehouse Wine and Liquor on Broadway.
$50? What a steal! That’s what Caol Ila 12 goes for here (if you’re lucky). I hope you always keep a bottle of Laga 16 on your shelf at that price…
here in the “duty free” where it’s supposed to be “cheap” it goes for 70 $
State *MINIMUM* here in Michigan is $86.99!
So – your store price in NYC is nearly 1/2 off our price…
We get some good deals on certain things – esp. certain Bourbon and Laphroigs, but there’s other stuff that’s stratospheric…
If you ever want, just for grins, to see what a “state controlled” liquor selection looks like, check out this site:
http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/lcc_code/sr_lcc.asp
Just use the drop down to select the “type” (Scotch, Straight Bourbon, Straigh Rye, etc.). 95% of the stores here sell at “State Minimum” – and that’s the lowest price legally allowed. But you can always upcharge – and some do on “premium” or hard to find items… but you can almost always find it at state minimum…
FWIW: This is the *absolute* list of what’s legally allowed to be sold in the state. Michigan buys the stuff from 3 total distributors at fixed prices based on what’s “decided” by some office dweeb in Lansing along with the distributors themselves, and then re-sells to the stores.
Stuff like Longrow, Four Roses, more obscure/specialty expressions and lots of independent bottlers are never even sold here.
Further, there’s probably 20+ items in the Scotch list that, while approved, are never “allocated” to the state – so you won’t see them despite being on the “list”
That’s a very interesting link, Tim. Definitely a mixed bag there in Michigan, with some great buys like Glenmorangie Gift Pack and Laphroaig 18, but a lot of not so great buys…and the fact that you’re limited to just this list is pretty lame. I didn’t realize we were “lucky” to be getting something like Four Roses here in AZ.
The various state and federal regulations on liquor seem so backwards in this age of global commerce.
Think OUR list is lame? Look at Ohio – a “true” ABC state (where the liquor shelves are stocked/managed/owned by the state – the stores only own the wine/beer inventory). This is about as lame as it gets:
http://www.com.ohio.gov/liqr/rpts/dolc.liquor.pricelist.txt
PLUS – it’s a text-list, not even a true database. Other than Laphroaig 10 at $38, it’s a total waste – and Ohio *never* actually gets the good stuff. Most ABC states don’t get any kind of allocation on the cooler items – even if they agree to carry them. Distributors and Distillers don’t want to work with ABC folks.
Oh – did I mention that it’s *technically* illegal to mail order alcohol to Michigan? Binny’s and K&L won’t do it – a few will, but most won’t… have to search to find the folks willing to risk it…
OH- remind me to recount my Holiday journey to Kentucky – we hit 6 of the 8 distilleries between over 2.5 days just after Christmas. Was a BLAST – learned a ton, met Elmer T. Lee himself @ Buffalo Trace, learned that Four Roses is REALLY REALLY good – picked up some really cool stuff in Kentucky at The Party Source… was a blast.
[…] Scotch Hobbyist reevaluates an old standard – Lagavulin 16. […]
First, let me commend Scotch Hobbyist for an excellent review of Lagavulin 16.
I’m new to Lagavulin so I cannot possibly do it justice by reviewing it to any extent; I will let others do that.
But I will say Lagavulin is for a mature taste because this whiskey has a complex and very strong peat and smoke flavor that could be mistaken for the aroma of iodine on a more virgin palette. If one is looking for a smooth, delicate, and refined experience, I would suggest looking elsewhere.
Thanks for the kind words! You’re right about this being strong…certainly relative to the likes of the Balvenie expressions I recently reviewed.
As for “mistaking” the aroma for iodine, I don’t think that’s a mistake, or limited to the virgin palate. There’s definitely an iodine presence there. If in doubt, rub some Lagavulin 16 on a piece of paper and let it sit for a while. The iodine sticks around after most of the other aromas die down.
Cheers,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
After reading your review and the other posts on your blog, I must admit my hesitancy over throwing the Lagavulin 16 under the bus, as it were. The bottle still sits on my whiskey shelf and not in some hand basket awaiting a Christmas re-gifting scheme.
I have tried the Balvenie 15, and I must say it has an unrivaled esophageal warmth, making it my whiskey of choice on cold, damp evenings. However, we get so few of them in the Central Valley of California; only in December, when the fog hangs low and wet, do I reach for this fire-breathing spirit.
My first experience with “Scotch,” beyond the obligatory Johnnie Walker Black Label and a 12-year-old Chivas Regal, was a small bottle of 18-year-old Glenfiddich, a mighty fine and never-a-harsh taste, if I may say so. But some might find it a tad characterless, but not me.
I would have to say now my go-to spirit is the Glenmorangie 10, and when I have a hankering for a slight caramel taste, the Macallan 12 isn’t bad at all. The Glenlivet 12 is also refreshing, but not quite as involving as, let’s say, the Balvenie.
So, I think I have a ways to go before I can more fully embrace the Lagavulin 16. Meanwhile, I will take you Whiskey Fanatic Test to see how far I have come.
Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Lagavulin 16 year was my 1st Islay. I hated it at first, but I kept drinking it and became a FAN of Islay scotches within that 1st week. After I finished 1/2 the bottle, I went out and bought a $32 bottle of 10year Laphroaig @ Trader Joe’s. I poured a shot of both and did a side by side taste test….The Lagavulin is so much more rich, smooth, and complex. The Laphroaig was powerful industrial motor oil.
When I drink Lagavulin, I imagine the Isle of Islay, a warm campire, sea breeze, and wonder at the fields of peat. When I drink Laphroaig, I imagine I’m at Firestone tires getting my oil changed and some of that oil got into my coffee and I’m drinking black coffee and used motor oil.
It took me 1 month to finish that bottle of Lagavulin, and only because I paced myself…I didn’t want to finish it! It took me 8 months to finish that bottle of Laphroaig, because I don’t like to waste scotch and forced myself to have a shot, every now and then.