Lagavulin 12 Years Old Diageo Special Releases 2021 56.5% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (92)

Exclusively refill, a legendary age and a solid strength, I can't see what could go wrong. Maybe a stork making a low pass over WF's terrace and stealing my glass? Well, let me first get my old riffle and we shall then proceed… Colour: white wine. Nose: Lagavulin 12 CS always feels like home. Astounding mineral, tarry, slightly terpene-y arrival on the nose, then flints, peat, smoked turnips (why wouldn't one do that) and smoky grist. Very compact. With water: no one can beat a manzanilla-like profile. Please pass the langostinos! Mouth (neat): sends shivers down your spine, looks like they finally managed to smoke lemons. Then they added fresh almond paste and just sea water. Absolutely awesome. With water: all right, all right. Sublime saltiness, oysters, manzanilla indeed, flint smoke, drops of lime juice, a drop of Andalusian olive oil (obviously)… Have I written that I find this sublime? Finish: long, tight, greener, lemony, fresh. In the aftertaste, a feeling of having wolfed down a whole jar of pickled samphires. Comments: Lagavulin 12 CS may be like the iPhone, every year they raise the definition. The good news is that you don't need any cables to make it work. Seriously, this new one is totally splendid. Whichever the price, which I don't know about at time of writing, it's B-F-Y-B whisky.

Gal Granov (90)

Nose: Lovely and medicinal, with tarry ropes and some spend bandages, there’s a lot of minerality going on in here as well, lemon zest hovers above and a sweet/salty sensation with barley sweetness, smoke, and white pepper, with water hint of olive brine, is more pronounced, as well as tasted oak, and hints of sea-spray. we’re definitely on islay time.

Palate: That’s a Lagavulin alright, and It would take a genius to spot that even blindfolded. very much the Lagavuling style – lovely bonfires, quite a lot of sweet smoke, and more of the lemon, some pepper, and chili bite, but not too hot and fairly lovely to sip, more of the saline-y touch, and brine, olives, and sea salt, oysters and bitter toasted wood, and peat reek, soot and coal, TCP.

Finish: salty, smoky, tarry, sweet peated barley eaten from the floor malting, bitter smoky chocolate, and lemon. lovely.

Conclusion: This year’s 12 year old does not disappoint in any way. Excellent stuff, high-quality ‘laga’ for you. around 130 quid is not cheap though – for a 12 year old even at ‘cask strength’, but they will sell well. I wonder how it would match against the 26-year-old. more info soon.

BOW (92)

The Lion's Fire