When I started my serious whisky journey this was one of the must have bottles. I loved it for a while but moved away after I become hung up on high abv offerings. About one year ago I picked up a bottle after a number of years and thoroughly enjoyed it. I remember Horst Luening once saying it was the perfect Lagavulin profile and I might be inclined to agree. I see it on sale all over Europe in bars and restaurants so it has a market way beyond the whisky geek community. Amongst regular drinkers it's considered extreme. I love that Lagavulin smoke and sherry combination. It's a very well made whisky and highly drinkable. The price is still reasonable because if they raised the abv it would cost a great deal more. Great review and I completely agree with your notes. Oddly enough I've been enjoying my wine very much recently and this whisky has an elegance more in line with a well made wine rather than your typical Islay slap around the head. Cheers. WT
I have worked as a retailer since 1980 and have owned my own shop in NY. Lagavulin has retailed for way above $115 for a long time . Now in Florida, also above that. And not in stock too often, so I'm drinking Laphroig and Ardbeg which is always available
That 16 is just a beautiful smooth sipper. Nothing off putting at all. Would love to find a Jazz and an Offerman edition, but plenty happy with my 8, couple 9’s, 2017 & 2018 12’s, 2019, 20, 21 DE’s and a couple 16’s. All pretty impressive for different reasons. Thanks Erik and the Lagavulin Distillery, Cheers 🥃
Eric, you nailed the review. Laga 16 is for those that are just getting started into the world of peated whiskies and want to just pour and go. The quality maybe slipping but it's still a relaxed dram and a good value for a 16 year old if you can get it at the right price or on an offer.
I just bought Laga 16 at still good price i think, £69. Many places i already seen it for £80+ as Diagio cladsic malts prices get hike vide Talisker 18. With Laga 16 i finally completed all Islay Distilleries entry level whiskies so nice to have it. Good video/review Eric. Well done 👍🥃🙋♂️
Bizarrely, I still haven’t made it to Lagavulin 16 yet. I’m only two years into my whisky journey and I’m still stuck on Ardbeg when it comes to Islay single malt. I do plan to try a bottle in the coming weeks since Ardbeg’s cask quality appears to be taking a hit, however I am delighted that Ardbeg hasn’t raised prices recently.
Laga 8 and 16 are both great drams but honestly... I prefer Ardbeg 10 and Ugie to the Lagavulin core range. I guess I'd pick Laga 12 CS over Cory but it would be a nice blind.
@@ConnahJay I think both of these whiskies are amazing, I like both Lagavulin and Ardbeg. BUT they are different whiskies, so it is subjective. Lagavulin has a signature smoke that is so delicious! I was not able to find the exact same one in any whisky, Caol Ila comes the closest.
Same, and I'm also only two years into my journey. The price, low ABV, and chill filtration/added colour put me off. But I pulled the trigger on a bottle today as a Christmas present for myself. Hopefully it doesn't dissapoint, but I'd probably have appreciated it much earlier on in my journey.
It's not as good as it was 30 years ago, but it's still pretty good. Down here in NZ I found the 12yr cask strength for $194 and the 16yr for $176 so i'm buying up the 12 yr cask ... it's what got me into the whiskey journey and its still worth a shot.
It's really perfect dram, comfortable, reliable, but the main problem is price and availability, of course. It's priced 90-120 eurors in my country, but it's almost impossible to find it this days.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! Lagavulin needs 12+ years.
It's been quite a while since I had Lagavulin 16... I have gone after the cask strength 12 year old offerings, and also the Ardbeg annual releases. Recently I have been getting into Ardbeg 10 and my benchmark Islay peated whisky, Laphroaig 10 again... Maybe I'm due to enjoy Lagavulin 16 now that it's been six or seven years since I had a bottle of it.
The 16 is really nice but unfortunately it has increased in price quite a bit. Its a classic bottle for gifting and drinking in winter. The 8yo just doesn't cut the mustard but that's all subjective. Great in depth review mate
It is a nice whisky that is indeed very drinkable / enjoyable right off the hop however at least in my market it’s way overpriced and the quality to cost ratio just isn’t there in my opinion. That said another quality informative video as always. Nicely done Erik. 🥃
I can't understand hype of disliking Lagavulin 16. I enjoy my dram and I don't give a sh... second thought what it was 30 years ago. What I taste now matter. Colour doesn't effect to the taste. It's proven by Whiskey Tribe and if you don't know what to miss by Chill-filtration, why it's so big deal? I've been drinking it about 15 years(about one bottle in one year) and not a single dram disappointed. Ever. Every single time I see these comments against Lagavulin 16 I remember when I got bad patch of other Isla whisky which didn't settle up even been open over a year.Here Lagavulin 16 cost almost 100€/0,7l bottle and I think it's worth every penny if you like it. IMHO 12 yo is too expensive. (200€ here) 8years is good but imo for depth of flavor it's a half way. Peace and love
Does need more umph, but I think it’s the top of the line for a beginner scotch/peat drinker. So much flavor and complexity that it’s tough to beat in that arena.
Was an interesting whisky when I tried it, but just as not mentioned here I couldn't detect any malted barley flavor coming through and so couldn't detect at all what grain was used to make this. The flavor the grain imparts is the most important dimension of whisky flavor to me, and totally understand that it isn't the most important to everyone. This just isn't my dram. Nice review and cheers!🥃
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies I'm interested to know an expert's opinion (your opinion) whether you like scotches where the malted barley flavor has been masked out by any other notes/flavors. Do you prefer one that has the barley malt flavor shine through big or not so big? I'm still a very amateur whisky drinker, but I do know that the malted barley flavor must stand out well in order for me to enjoy a whisky. I guess the malted barley is just a flavor I gravitate to, so I make it the first and most important part of my whiskies. Maybe that sounds too narrow for some, but it's such a good flavor.
This has to be drank neat. Me and my buddy tried this with an ice cube and hated it. Tasted like burnt resistors and bandaids.Drank it straight and grew to like it.
Awesome whisky. Finding myself enjoying the port Charlotte 10 just as much if not a bit more
When I started my serious whisky journey this was one of the must have bottles. I loved it for a while but moved away after I become hung up on high abv offerings. About one year ago I picked up a bottle after a number of years and thoroughly enjoyed it. I remember Horst Luening once saying it was the perfect Lagavulin profile and I might be inclined to agree. I see it on sale all over Europe in bars and restaurants so it has a market way beyond the whisky geek community. Amongst regular drinkers it's considered extreme. I love that Lagavulin smoke and sherry combination. It's a very well made whisky and highly drinkable. The price is still reasonable because if they raised the abv it would cost a great deal more. Great review and I completely agree with your notes. Oddly enough I've been enjoying my wine very much recently and this whisky has an elegance more in line with a well made wine rather than your typical Islay slap around the head. Cheers. WT
Thanks for watching!
I have worked as a retailer since 1980 and have owned my own shop in NY. Lagavulin has retailed for way above $115 for a long time . Now in Florida, also above that.
And not in stock too often, so I'm drinking Laphroig and Ardbeg which is always available
That 16 is just a beautiful smooth sipper. Nothing off putting at all. Would love to find a Jazz and an Offerman edition, but plenty happy with my 8, couple 9’s, 2017 & 2018 12’s, 2019, 20, 21 DE’s and a couple 16’s. All pretty impressive for different reasons. Thanks Erik and the Lagavulin Distillery, Cheers 🥃
Eric, you nailed the review. Laga 16 is for those that are just getting started into the world of peated whiskies and want to just pour and go. The quality maybe slipping but it's still a relaxed dram and a good value for a 16 year old if you can get it at the right price or on an offer.
Thanks for watching!
I just bought Laga 16 at still good price i think, £69. Many places i already seen it for £80+ as Diagio cladsic malts prices get hike vide Talisker 18. With Laga 16 i finally completed all Islay Distilleries entry level whiskies so nice to have it. Good video/review Eric. Well done 👍🥃🙋♂️
I really like this bottle I keep it in stock. Thanks for the great channel. Cheers!
Thanks for watching!
Bizarrely, I still haven’t made it to Lagavulin 16 yet. I’m only two years into my whisky journey and I’m still stuck on Ardbeg when it comes to Islay single malt. I do plan to try a bottle in the coming weeks since Ardbeg’s cask quality appears to be taking a hit, however I am delighted that Ardbeg hasn’t raised prices recently.
Laga 8 and 16 are both great drams but honestly... I prefer Ardbeg 10 and Ugie to the Lagavulin core range. I guess I'd pick Laga 12 CS over Cory but it would be a nice blind.
Just a side note too, one of my bottles I currently have open is the Lagavulin 10 travel exclusive and it's really nice!
@@ConnahJay ….That would be a close one. Of course, the Corry is the big winner for value, at less than half the Laga’s price.
@@ConnahJay I think both of these whiskies are amazing, I like both Lagavulin and Ardbeg. BUT they are different whiskies, so it is subjective. Lagavulin has a signature smoke that is so delicious! I was not able to find the exact same one in any whisky, Caol Ila comes the closest.
Same, and I'm also only two years into my journey. The price, low ABV, and chill filtration/added colour put me off.
But I pulled the trigger on a bottle today as a Christmas present for myself. Hopefully it doesn't dissapoint, but I'd probably have appreciated it much earlier on in my journey.
Yep, was used to Laphroaig and wasn’t really impressed with this at first, but it has really grown on me, I like it a lot!
Me too, but I'm not at the "grown on me" phase yet. I like it, but the smokiness doesn't hit you like Laphroaig.
@@jre617 I’ve recently been finding that I like unpeated Islay whisky, too!
Great review love the history hope to go to Islay in October will look out for it keep up the good work
Thanks for watching!
It's not as good as it was 30 years ago, but it's still pretty good. Down here in NZ I found the 12yr cask strength for $194 and the 16yr for $176 so i'm buying up the 12 yr cask ... it's what got me into the whiskey journey and its still worth a shot.
Yea I agree the 12 cs special release is the one to go for (in the lower end of the market). The 16 just lacks the grunt that it should have.
It's really perfect dram, comfortable, reliable, but the main problem is price and availability, of course. It's priced 90-120 eurors in my country, but it's almost impossible to find it this days.
Lagavulin should make a 5yr age stated whisky called 'Lavavulin' to compete with Wee Beastie
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! Lagavulin needs 12+ years.
It's been quite a while since I had Lagavulin 16... I have gone after the cask strength 12 year old offerings, and also the Ardbeg annual releases. Recently I have been getting into Ardbeg 10 and my benchmark Islay peated whisky, Laphroaig 10 again... Maybe I'm due to enjoy Lagavulin 16 now that it's been six or seven years since I had a bottle of it.
Slainte!
All hail Lagavulin and our lord and saviour Nick Offerman
LOL!
The 16 is really nice but unfortunately it has increased in price quite a bit. Its a classic bottle for gifting and drinking in winter. The 8yo just doesn't cut the mustard but that's all subjective. Great in depth review mate
Thanks for sharing!
It is a nice whisky that is indeed very drinkable / enjoyable right off the hop however at least in my market it’s way overpriced and the quality to cost ratio just isn’t there in my opinion. That said another quality informative video as always. Nicely done Erik. 🥃
I can't understand hype of disliking Lagavulin 16. I enjoy my dram and I don't give a sh... second thought what it was 30 years ago. What I taste now matter. Colour doesn't effect to the taste. It's proven by Whiskey Tribe and if you don't know what to miss by Chill-filtration, why it's so big deal? I've been drinking it about 15 years(about one bottle in one year) and not a single dram disappointed. Ever. Every single time I see these comments against Lagavulin 16 I remember when I got bad patch of other Isla whisky which didn't settle up even been open over a year.Here Lagavulin 16 cost almost 100€/0,7l bottle and I think it's worth every penny if you like it. IMHO 12 yo is too expensive. (200€ here) 8years is good but imo for depth of flavor it's a half way. Peace and love
Does need more umph, but I think it’s the top of the line for a beginner scotch/peat drinker. So much flavor and complexity that it’s tough to beat in that arena.
Thanks for watching!
Was an interesting whisky when I tried it, but just as not mentioned here I couldn't detect any malted barley flavor coming through and so couldn't detect at all what grain was used to make this. The flavor the grain imparts is the most important dimension of whisky flavor to me, and totally understand that it isn't the most important to everyone. This just isn't my dram. Nice review and cheers!🥃
Sometimes the smoke and peat can mask the malt character
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies I'm interested to know an expert's opinion (your opinion) whether you like scotches where the malted barley flavor has been masked out by any other notes/flavors. Do you prefer one that has the barley malt flavor shine through big or not so big?
I'm still a very amateur whisky drinker, but I do know that the malted barley flavor must stand out well in order for me to enjoy a whisky. I guess the malted barley is just a flavor I gravitate to, so I make it the first and most important part of my whiskies. Maybe that sounds too narrow for some, but it's such a good flavor.
This has to be drank neat. Me and my buddy tried this with an ice cube and hated it. Tasted like burnt resistors and bandaids.Drank it straight and grew to like it.
Personally I miss Whitehorse and enjoy the original Lagavulin
Chill filtered, artificially colored. . For the price , currently $117 USD in Oregon, I would not expect that.
Wow! A 90. I’d rate it 86. I love the stuff, it’s worth $95 where I am, but to give it a 90 it would have to be maybe 48% and Non CF.
🤩 ᵖʳᵒᵐᵒˢᵐ
Stop saying Snickers! That doesn't make me want it.
Uh, ok. How about Baby Ruth, Mr. Goodbar, or Pay Day?