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Lagavulin 16 Year Old Reviews
- Distillery
- Lagavulin
- Style
- Single Malt
- Release
- Unspecified
- Age
- 16 Years
- Alcohol
- 43% abv.
- Region
- Scotland: Islay
- Bottled For
- Distillery
- Buy Now $71.00 WineChateau.com
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A much sought-after single malt with the massive peat-smoke that's typical of southern Islay - but also offering a dryness that turns it into a truly interesting dram.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by ScottyB
- Color
- Golden amber, e150 probably.
- Nose
- Lovely smoke, like a just doused campfire. Phenols, seawater, vanilla, black pepper, white pepper.
- Body
- Medium-full, Viscous, Lightly syrupy.
- Palate
- Peat smoke, Seawater, Phenols, Vanilla, a touch of Green apple.
- Finish
- Ridiculously long, peppery, numbing due to the phenols. Smoke and salt hang around forever.
I really didn\'t like the Ardbeg 10, but this is so much more balanced. There\'s a ton of peat characteristics you would expect form an Islay, but it\'s so much more complex than the other offerings I\'ve had from the island. There\'s a real development from nose to palate to finish. I\'m mostly into Highland and Speyside malts, but this is so good it may actually be my new favorite. Highly recommended.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Body
- oily
- Palate
- Burnt rubber, cough syrup, metallic, leather.
- Finish
- Leaves my mouth feeling assaulted, taste buds somewhat in shock. Couldn\'t finish the measure I poured. Definitely an acquired taste, one that I won\'t pursue. But one that is nevertheless deeply layered and extremely complex.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Nice amber, gold.
- Nose
- Heavy smoke, bbq
- Body
- Full body instantly brings happy thoughts of early hiking trips and campfires with burned meat and stories of the past.
- Palate
- Peat, wood, a touch of vanilla wit a touch of sweetness.
- Finish
- Nice long finish, not annoying to your throat. I guess, reading some of the reviews, this is not a drink for 'beginners'. Definitely one of my favorites!
Wow, clearly a whiskey with an identity that you'll love or hate. I love it!
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Burning Rubber, Cough Syrup, Hospital Smell, BBQ Brisket
- Body
- Smooth and rich
- Palate
- Bitter Melon, fresh laid asphalt,
- Finish
- Long, Strong, and draws attention from nearby people AND animals.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Peat, Peat, Peat, Peat...did I mention Peat? And why would this ever be a good thing?
- Body
- Painful
- Palate
- A kodiak bearhug ripping you to shreds, tongue first of peat.
- Finish
- Thank God!
A lovely single malt for anyone who likes to have a big mossy mouthful of dirt that pickles the tongue and destroys the palate. No smoke, all peat...so horribly overrated. Didn't the peat bogs preserve bodies for thousands of years? Maybe that is the motivation for this atrocity.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Deep, earthy peat smoke that is not overpowering, medicinal iodine with faint vanilla in the background. Reminds me of the seashore on a cloudy Autumn afternoon. Beautiful!
- Body
- Medium to full body. Wonderful mouth feel, slightly oily.
- Palate
- Peat smoke up front, followed with medicinal iodine and brine, and subdued sherry in the background.
- Finish
- Medium to long finish, smooth as glass, very well balanced, with a sweet ending.
My first love in single malt scotch. A true classic.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Burns
- Color
- Deep amber
- Nose
- Peat smoke and honey with a touch of citrus. Inviting.
- Body
- Oily, soft. Coats your mouth.
- Palate
- Peat up front, creme brulee and a touch of honeyed molasses. Smoke like Soochong tea.
- Finish
- Long and dry, full of smoke. Doesn't let you forget her.
The love of my life. There isn't a spirit around I'd rather spend an evening with. there are really no flaws in this.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Darker than most
- Nose
- Rancid band aids. Hospitals
- Body
- Thick, oily
- Palate
- Iodine
- Finish
- Thank god
Never want to taste or smell this again. Overdone in a big way.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Copper / rich amber
- Nose
- Sea tang, iodine, smoke, peat.
- Body
- medium
- Palate
- Iodine, salt, peat are the main impressions. There's a touch of honey in there somewhere. Fairly smooth without the sharp bitey tastes of some other whiskies.
- Finish
- Long distinctive finish leaving you breathing smoke and phenols.
This was the Scotch that got me into single malts. Wonderful, amazing stuff.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Copper
- Nose
- Walnut, wood.
- Body
- Of medium viscosity, between water and oil.
- Palate
- Salt, iodine, leather.
- Finish
- Very little afterburn, and warm resonance that lingers.
A very satisfying whisky with loads of character (still trying to work out all the tastes) without being based solely on overpeatiness.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Slick
- Color
- amber, tobacco steeped brown
- Nose
- heavy peat, earthy, thick and dank, iodine
- Body
- thin, crisp, light
- Palate
- huge peat, sophisticated medicinal
- Finish
- long, warm and hairy, it fumes
hard to beat!
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Deep golden honey
- Nose
- Peat
- Body
- Some lovehandles but not too heavy
- Palate
- Medium peat to heavy sweet
- Finish
- Godzilla fire
Entry level bliss
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Deep gold
- Nose
- Peat, salt, smoke
- Body
- Light body, not oily or creamy
- Palate
- Slate, cacao, tabacco, hint of iodine
- Finish
- Medium finish, ends dry and quiet with more granite and slate
A bit austere; not at all sweet. A nice changeup from sweet Highlands scotch. Not as peaty as Laphroiag, which I liken to Anbesol.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Earth and granite. Some peat evident
- Body
- Full and earthy
- Palate
- warm, stony, and natural
- Finish
- A long finish, reminds me of a nice cigar.
Smoky and refined, I always come back to this!
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Madcow
- Palate
- A complexity of flavors matched well but not over powered by the Peat.
- Finish
- Satisfying
By far my Favorite scotch. It has amazing Balance of flavors with many subtle flavors that just make this a home run.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by RickyRuffcutt
- Color
- Dark honey
- Nose
- Smokey, sea notes...something in there reminds you of bacon as well.
- Body
- A bit creamy, medium body.
- Palate
- Smoke, Sea salt, peat, hints of dark chocolate, ash....very very slight orange peel flavor
- Finish
- Warm, spicy, medium to long.
This is just at the point of being great. As usual with great things, people will either love it or hate it. This whisky leaves no room for those with weak opinions.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Whiskychugger
- Color
- desert camel
- Nose
- slithers of tropical kiwi with subtle scent of soy sauce
- Body
- the thickness of full cream milk and marshmallow with a crispy potato crunch
- Palate
- slightly eggy with a malt vinagerette infused with a lively kick of rice crispies
- Finish
- bubbly - much lke fairy liquid - a complete whisky not for the faint hearted but will certainly have you wanting more
A truly tantalising experience which tickled all my senses
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Dmessmer
- Color
- Gold with touches of red. Really striking.
- Nose
- Sweat and a hint fruity. Really announces itself.
- Body
- Coating and smooth.
- Palate
- I definitely agree with everyone who has mentioned dark chocolate, that is the overwhelming flavor I get every time. Also hints of orange and a mild smokiness.
- Finish
- This is where the smoke becomes most noticeable, though it's still not the full on attack of a Laphroaig or Ardbeg. Finishes very quickly and very cleanly.
Not at all what I was expecting, but delightful nonetheless. Despite its peatiness it still has a subtle refinement. This is definitely a desert Scotch for me, and one that I'm still figuring out. I don't know if this would become my go-to Scotch, but I'll certainly be sad when I finish the bottle.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Papa Whisky
- Color
- Deep satin sheen gold
- Nose
- Lightly fruity and floral, the smoke and peat lurks around but is kept under control, slightly medicinal not like smelling a band-aide itself, but like a handful of band-aide wrappers, sea air (but from a distance).
- Body
- Medium-full, light oil
- Palate
- Similar to the nose, it starts out fruity and floral, dark chocolate, smoked/dried squid, then the peat and smoke emerges to join the festivities, tiny essence of medicine, more smoke and peat, hints of salt.
- Finish
- Long , warm, and wonderful.
Wow, what a wonder whisky. The nose pretty much shows up in the palate except for the first half of my first dram where dark chocolate was evident, but was replaced by smoked/dried squid for the subsequent tasting (amazing). This whisky is intricate, flavorful, and alluring. Did I mention scrumptious? I’m definitely a fan.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Eye-lah Guy
- Color
- Heavy amber in the glass
- Nose
- Sea salt and hospital iodine, significant as one might end up in urgent care if not prepared for Lagavulin; peat lurks none-too-subtly behind the curtain
- Body
- Thick, oily, demanding
- Palate
- Piles of up-front peat and smoke naturally dissipate into fresh coastal spray of iodine and seaweed, with a wink of mocha and dried fruit. This is balance and complexity at its summit!
- Finish
- Finish: A lasting crash of warm, smoky peat and black oak hit like a hapless dinghy against the jagged island rock. As on the salty coast, the desire to repeat the natural order is reflected in the adventure of the next pull of this unparalleled dram. Each subsequent experience is as exquisitely revealing as the first.
Everything an Islay should be; unabashedly oily and in your face, yet stealthily effective in its ability to masque subtle undertones amidst the spectacle with unparalleled complexity. Kicks your ever-loving ass to the canvass, and yet you rise up for more; stronger and wiser for the beating. Yeah, this is the best Scotch whisky.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Golden
- Nose
- Smoke and peat, followed by salt, and balanced with a hint of banana, liqourice, and caramel. A hint of vanila and wood lingers in the background
- Body
- Full bodied. Creamy.
- Palate
- Smoke and peat, with chrismas pudding, sticky date pudding, and banana bread coming though, balanced by nuts, charcoal, and woodfired pizza.
- Finish
- Long, strong, and elegant, it coats your mouth and throat in peat as it goes down, warming your body from the inside out.
The most balanced and elegant whisky i have ever tried, and prehaps it is the most elegant islay of them all. Im a sucker for islay scotches and this is no exception. Gets a 92 so i have room for even better whiskys i may yet come across. Im barely 21.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Tea
- Nose
- Like a guy named Pete smoking a cigar
- Body
- Liquid, moves around the glass
- Palate
- Burns my mouth for the first 3 or 4 glasses
- Finish
- It lasts as long as it takes to drink it
The World's best Flavored Scotch !
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Gold to amber
- Nose
- Peat and dried apricots.
- Body
- Smooth, full bodied
- Palate
- Smoky peat and unsweetened apricots
- Finish
- Very long finish, and strong to the end
Excellent
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Chief
- Color
- Beautiful!
- Nose
- Sea, peat
- Body
- Full
- Palate
- Peat & sweet, the sea
- Finish
- Forever
BY far and away, my favorite dram. All others are ranked apart from it's lofty perch.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Smilin' Peat
- Color
- Maple syrup.
- Nose
- Smoke and burnt sugar. Seaspray. Nothing harsh. You do not need an experienced nose to appreciate this Islay.
- Body
- Rich and unctuous. A blanket for the tongue.
- Palate
- Complements the nose completely. No surprises. Positively juicy with pipe tobacco, vanilla, aromatic honey and a touch of the sea.
- Finish
- Melts into you like the hands of a great masseuse.
Hands down the best "affordable" Islay I've tasted. It beats 'em all with a trifecta of colour, body and nose. A bit pricey, but just plain worth it. Michael Jackson's rating is spot on!
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Drunk&dangerous
- Color
- bit darker amber
- Nose
- medium smoke, rich pattern of fruits. smell palette mixing up perfectly. best "smelling" whisky i have ever had.
- Body
- oily, thick.
- Palate
- smoke, fruity, a bit of "horse sweat" along. would expect a bit more from the gorgeus smell, but still very good.
- Finish
- smooth and long lasting.
my absolute favorite scotch in it's price range. exceptional smell.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Insinuendo
- Color
- Bronze.
- Nose
- On the nose, smoke is prominent. There are hints of smoked bacon and maple. The smoke is that of a campire, and hot embers with a hint of sweetness.
- Body
- A full bodied big boy!
- Palate
- The mouthfeel is decadent. It is rich and creamy and sweet on the very tip of the tongue. On the mid-palate, its complexities develop into dry leaves, fresh ashes, tobacco, clove and black and white pepper.
- Finish
- The finish is lengthy and warm… “Takes out the fire, but leaves in the warmth.”
Right off the bat, this bottle seduced me with its beautiful bronze robe. The elegance is obvious and luxurious.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- dark caramel
- Nose
- Sherry releasing peat smoke, iodine.
- Body
- Oily and substantial
- Palate
- Powerful peat smoke rising to sea air/seaweed
- Finish
- Big peat finish
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Copper
- Nose
- very complex, at times peaty smokey camp fire like other times sweet slight vanilla
- Body
- medium
- Palate
- also complex, campfire, little spicy earthy/peaty/smokey other times sweet, smoked walnuts and toffe
- Finish
- medium long
This replaces my previous review which I scored it a 50. At first reminded me of Talisker with the fish/oyster taste. Do not go off of first dram. A very good winter malt that grows on one. Excellent winter whisky.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Dark amber
- Nose
- Water that had dead or alive fish
- Body
- thin
- Palate
- like drinking water that had fish swimming in
- Finish
- extremely long
I find it very hard to believe any one likes this whisky. It has NO SMOKE taste or smell. I love smokey tasting single malts but this is like drinking water that had dead fish swimming in it.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Peat, smoke, salt water, citrus
- Body
- Full, bold
- Palate
- Extremely salty, heavy peat
- Finish
- Long salty finish
I liked everything about this scotch except for the fact that, to my palate, it tasted like someone took half a sprinkler bottle of salt and poured it into my dram....way to salty for me. I'll stick with Laphroaig and Arbdeg.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by YAK
- Color
- Dark amber
- Nose
- Heavy smoke, Campfire
- Body
- Full bodied
- Palate
- smoke
- Finish
- warm smoke finish
This is one of my favorite bottles of scotch!
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Adder
- Color
- Deep Amber
- Nose
- Citrus, smoke and something deep I can't quite get
- Body
- Full bodied, thick , heavy, creamy
- Palate
- Smokey honey and dark chocolate
- Finish
- Long long long finish, honey and citrus again fading slowly
I'm a Islay fan and tried this because bottle shop was out of my usual Lagavulin 16yo..I am amazed, so much flavour in a non Islay malt!
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Rowey
- Color
- Golden
- Nose
- Peat, medicinal iodine, coal, smoke, wood, salt.
- Body
- Soft, slightly oily.
- Palate
- Salt, peat, iodine, pawpaw and smoke, Politely understated.
- Finish
- Long, smokey and earthy.
Beautifully balanced and elegant. The gentleman of Islay malts.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Light honey
- Nose
- Hospital bandaging
- Palate
- Smoke, iodine and band-aids. Then more iodine.
- Finish
- Iodine, iodine and iodine
IODINE. A smooth but powerful whiskey that will be adored by anyone with a strong penchant for hospitals. Personally, I don't get the attraction, and could live long and quite happily without ever crossing paths with this distillate again.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Anonymous
- Color
- Dark, golden
- Nose
- Heavy smoke, almost a beacon note
- Body
- full bodied
- Palate
- peat, smoke, nuts.
- Finish
- Finish is strong and unique.
I tried this for the first time a few weeks ago, now i have bought a bottle. It definately is not an everyday scotch. Interesting change, love the heavy smoke.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by ColoradoDram
- Color
- Medium-dark amber, some orange.
- Nose
- Balanced fruit and floral spray, ocean mist, a milder vanilla-Listerine, a slightly burnt cinammon bagel in the toaster.
- Body
- A gorgeous silky bath of oil, full bodied.
- Palate
- Iodine, sweet cough syrup, peat smoke, peppery wam kick, buttery toffee later in the dram.
- Finish
- Very smooth - no attack if you drink this neat. Medium warm but pretty long, a nice peppery end and salty dry aftertaste.
This is a complex flavor-rich Islay if ever there was one. The medicine and peat smoke build and build, but enough sweet and salt persist to keep balance. I love it.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Ken
- Color
- medium amber
- Nose
- rose, ginger, Mandarin orange
- Body
- Medium body to light
- Palate
- Sweet to start, slightly fruity slightly tending to citrus - orange in particular
- Finish
- smooth, not biting, lasting memory
I generally like Islay but I personally find this to be a GREAT appartif, EXCELLENT aroma and smoothness, single malt though it be, on the order of Chivas, and MUCH better buy at less than $20! I shall return to this one time again, IF consistent will HIGHLY recommend
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Prosper
- Color
- golden
- Nose
- iodine, salt, wood smoke, peat.
- Body
- medium, slightly-watery body, strong, punchy flavor intensity
- Palate
- salty, peaty punch. very dry. hints of smoke; slight iodine
- Finish
- Hot, dry finish. What tiny little maltiness there is quickly fades, leaving a dry smoky burn.
Not my thing. I don't like the balance of flavours. For a 16yo, it seems a bit harsh still. For a nice smoky islay blast, I'll stick to Laphroaig and Talisker.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Red Hare
- Color
- Amber gold
- Nose
- Smoke, peat, heather, honey, salt, iodine. Faint hint of apricots
- Body
- Watery round the edges, oily in the middle
- Palate
- Salty and tangy. Lemony. Intense smoke, little sparks of sherry and vanilla.
- Finish
- Long and lingering. Burst of sherry and vanilla, quickly fades to smoke all the way to the end.
Not as aggressive as Laphroaig. Very drinkable. Tastes like a smoky Speyside would.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Eddie
- Color
- Amber, Dark Gold
- Nose
- Burnt Wood, Peat and Salt Air
- Body
- Full, Rich and Syrupy
- Palate
- Sweet, Dry, Peat, Salt,Oily and some Smoke. This one had a lot going for it. Sip after sip it seemed to have a different flavor show up. I liked it.
- Finish
- Long Sweet and a little smoky, Peat and Malt stayed a while and tasted very good
This is probably the best Islay I have had, It impressed me a lot. Now I'am tasting a little Licorice.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Saul
- Color
- Amber
- Nose
- Iodine, Sweet, Peat, Smokey
- Body
- Thick and swishy, Full bodied
- Palate
- Salt, Tangy, Logs of peat, Balanced
- Finish
- Long, Powerful, but gentle
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Review by Rich
- Nose
- Here is the smoke, and the gentle malt underneath. Powerful, even at a low alcohol percentage it is hard to breath in too deeply without being overwhelmed.
- Palate
- Dry at points, smoke, the malty sweetness comes and goes.
- Finish
- Long and rolling peat, but perhaps shorter than I remmember it.
This was the 2005 version, which scored a couple of points less than before. A bit thinner than in the past few years, or is it me? Still wonderful.