Description

The jewel in the crown of ‘The King of Islay’ is  noble, generous and precious, understated  yet rich in subtle, smouldering intensity; truly  an exceptional gem of a whisky. This lovely, mature single vintage malt, the  first 26 year-old Lagavulin Special Release,  perfectly expresses the rich first-fill Pedro  Ximenez/Oloroso cask style and is quite  delicious, sure in the knowledge that its  balance and smooth tastes have been shaped  and respected by the decades.

Appearance: A deep-hued beech tree in autumn.

Nose: On the mellow nose a finely woven wine-woody  aroma of great complexity takes time to yield its  individual secrets. Light, fresh and vinous top notes  mingle with the linseed oil of an artist’s studio then  fade into a warm suggestion of sun-bleached polished  mahogany, backed by dry edible seaweed, with  sweeter hints of baked fig and butterscotch. Further in,  the aromas growmore pungent, oily and fragrantly  smoky; like going fishing, with background aromas of  tarry rope and boat engine. If a little water is added,  their intensity is reduced, while a note of clean linen  survives best.

Body: Medium.

Palate: In the light, ultra-smooth and oily texture a  sweetness briefly gleams, soon tinged with salt and  pepper, the whole growing more savoury and smokier  all the time. Here is all the precious sweet-smoky style  of Lagavulin, in a glowing, well-rounded form. A drop of water, not needed, yet seems to heighten the harmony  of flavours.

Finish: Long, sweetly warning and faintly smoky, as with smouldering beech leaves, leaving an aftertaste of  chanterelle mushrooms. A drop of water introduces a little pepper, then the smokiness reasserts itself in the drying aftertaste.