Lagavulin 12 Year Old (Special Release 2022) Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

"Awesome, as always..." - whiskyfun.com

Just when you thought the most compelling deals in Single Malt Scotch Whisky would give way to end of year trade, this insane offer lands. Consistently one of our all time favourite expressions from Lagavulin, the American oak edition routinely makes it into Diageo’s acclaimed Special Releases program. Absent of the sherry input found in the standard sixteen year old, this is all about visceral intensity, minerality, brine and a kind of medicinal peat that has the ability to transport the senses. Cask strength, non chill filtered and from one of Islay’s greatest marques, the deal could not get any sweeter. Don’t hesitate to add at least two bottles to your shelf. 57.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... Smoked ham on the bone, brine, highly aromatic smoke, and toasted oak, with the spices in a supportive role. Despite being more punchy and smoky than the 2021 release, there’s superb balance on the nose here. The palate opens with sweet vanilla, cotton candy, baked ham slathered in molasses, powerful spices, lemon peel, and red chile flakes, with peppery smoke on a lengthy finish. 91 points - whiskyadvocate.com

...From refill American and virgin oak casks. They love their legends, last year it was a lion on fire, this time it is a phoenix. I just adored last's years 12 yo SR (WF 92). Colour: white wine. Nose: goodness gracious, this is a blend of seawater, sorb and holly eaux-de-vie, gentian and chlorine (pool water). Some white asparagus too, shoe polish, sauna oils, new rubber bands and tyres, kerosene… And perhaps a little more fatness than in earlier releases. With water: some fresh paint this time, and even more new tyres and inner tubes, leatherette, benzine, kerosene (airport runway after a busy day) ... Mouth (neat): two-stroke Lagavulin, with citrus liqueurs and with straight peat smoke. Some kind of smoky limoncello, perhaps a little binary, but water should help. With water: this is funny, we've found the 8 in this 12, now that water's been added, but the 8 was a tad more in high-res, so to speak. Finish: long, with a little fatness from the woods (I suppose) and even something very marginally syrupy. Classic aftertaste, on iodine, tar, lemon and pure peat. Comments: some extra-sweetness in this variant. Awesome, as always, but the 8 has been a little nasty. Bugger! 89 points - whiskyfun.com