1994 Lagavulin 26 Year Old (Special Release 2021) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

"A simply wonderful tasting experience." - whiskyadvocate.com

Other reviews... Matured in first fill PX/oloroso seasoned casks, the nose opens with fruitcake, dried mango, marmalade, ground ginger, and baking spices. As the brighter fruits dissipate, aromas of dried fig and burnt teacake emerge. A thick, oily mouthfeel with flavors of chocolate orange, then chocolate ganache, restrained spice, malt, bramble, sultana, and date, with an eternal sweetness infused with smoke. A simply wonderful tasting experience. (7,542 bottles) 94 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Jonny McCormick 2021

...From 1st fill ex-PX and oloroso-seasoned casks. Who cares, this is Lagavulin. I haven't got all other details at time of writing but this should be mid-1990s distillation - the next best piece of news would be peace in the Middle-East. Colour: gold. Nose: remember the old 12 cream label? Or that 15 yo ceramic for Italy? This is sublime, once again, despite, or maybe thanks to a few whiffs of barbecued bacon at first, and despite a slightly, say prognathic oak spiciness (ginger and so on). All the rest is first class, the resins, essential oils, pine needles, camphor, banana skins, marzipan, whelks and clams, wee whiffs of garlic brine, some spearmint, old yellow chartreuse… And that old Lagavulin (and Port Ellen) thing, new tyres. Mouth: watch it, they say 44.2 but it almost feels like 64.2% vol., not something that happens too often. We shall add water but in the meantime, it is very salty and coastal, with a feeling of smoked raisins indeed, and perhaps a wee chaos created by the encounter between the PX and the spirit. The most important word is 'perhaps' here. With just two drops of water: a little leather, salt, salted toffee… Finish: long, more on cough syrup, ginger and burnt raisins. Comments: absolutely excellent but I think the stunning 12 killed this one a little bit and that the PX may have helped. Could be that we shouldn't have tried them both within the same wee tasting session, after all. Aren't self-evident ideas often bad ideas? Nah it's still a glorious dram. 88 points - whiskyfun.com