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Very balanced and drinkable but lacking a bit of fruitiness - to be honest you can have a comparable Lagavulin also for a much lower price

H2H- Lagavulin through the ages - as usual logic would dictate that the older ones would be better, but will that be the case? I already did a head to head of the 21, 25 and 30 and found the 25 to be better than most other people and between the 3 not that much in it so it will be interested to taste again. Lagavulin 16 is favourite of many on here for a go to islay dram and once price has been taken into account I  can gauge the best value and I suspect the 16 will do well here. Mid 1960`s to present 37 year, all official bottlings Drams https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/100508/lagavulin-guaranteed-pure-malt-pot-still https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/51469/lagavulin-16-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/75648/lagavulin-islay-jazz-festival-2015 https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/35109/lagavulin-1991 https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/613/lagavulin-1985  https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/12/lagavulin-25-year-old  https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/10/lagavulin-30-year-old  https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/44217/lagavulin-37-year-old In theory the nose and palate should all have similarities so I will knock a few out from the start, tasting 8 heavy peaters is a lot for  my palate.   Nose The first to be discounted was the Jaz festival2015 and the 30 year but that might be because they were more delicate. next was the 21 year 1991 then the 37 year which left the NAS 1960`s, 16 year, 21 year 1985 and the 25 year. A difficult decision 1 - 21 year 1985 2 - Pure Pot Still 60`s 3 - 37 year 4 - 16 year 5 - 25 year 6 - 30 year 7 - 21 year 1991 8 - 2015 Jazz festival Palate 1st tasting (tentative) 1 - 21 year 1985 2= - 21 year 1991 2= - 37 year 4 -2015 Jazz festival 5 - 25 year 6  - 30 year 7 - Pure Pot Still Nas 8 - 16 year 2nd tasting 1 -1985 21 year 2 - 1991 21year 3 - 37 year 4 - 25 year 5 - Jazz festival 2015 6 - 30 year 7 - 16 year 8 - Nas pure pot still (been open a while) After 2 tastings my top 3 were the same with the 25 year moving to 4th the Nas was bottom with the 16 year just beating it. The 30 year was a little delicate in this company. The big question is and the one that should give us all hope is that there was little in the first 6 placings and the 16 year was not far behind but the exta years maturation told. If You took price into consideration then the 16 year can hold its head up high.

smoke bacon, tobacco, chocolate, coffee, pepper, iodine, marzipan, orange, camphor, really excellent

Banana, melon, minerals, coffee, sea salt, raspberry, elegant sherry flavor, aged wine style, balanced sweet and sour, wall gray.

Compared with Lagavuling 25 - 2016. Tasted with Aby. The 21 is a lot more raw.

[September, 2016]  I had this dram during a "Lagavulin Bicentenary" tasting at Bonn.In my old rating system (ten scales that translate into WB points: 50 - 66 - 75 - 80 - 82,5 - 85 - 87,5 - 90 - 92,5 - 95) I scored it 92,5.  I took no detailed notes.

Perfect peat, oak, sherry and spices in a more matured, more elegant robe.

Review on Christmas 2020

not far away from perfect - no false notes - a true beauty

Due to the storage time of 21 years, the malt is very soft and round, despite the high alcohol content it is not punchy. Compared to the 16-year-old standard from this time, however, it is less multifaceted.

Very nice balance, vanilla and bare wood. Elegant, racy smoke. Humus, earthy depth, forest undergrowth. It rained on ferns, light mist, nuts and truffles. Chocolate, almonds, tree bark. Licorice. Fried bananas. Very ripe mirabelle plums. Minty freshness. On the palate, fig jam, amadou, chestnut cream. Light spices, paprika, white pepper. Filled pralines, coffee grounds, nutmeg, cloves. The finish is extremely long, it develops a nice power little by little, heather, dried fruits, warm chestnuts. Marzipan. Yellow apples. It's obviously very good, and even excellent, but I was expecting something really crazy, and it wasn't the case. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2023/03/lagavulin-1991-diageo-special-release.html

A fantastic Lagavulin. Complex, expressive, which brings its share of emotion. 93.5

Lovely and elegant. This doesn't kick butt but sometimes, you don't want your butt kicked. 93 points.

A leather wallet, slightly smoked, floating in the sound of Islay. I don't think this one needs more detailed analysis after all the glaze it has gotten over the years already, so I'll just say it can't fail to please anyone who has ever liked anything Lagavulin.

http://www.weinkenner.de/2012/diageo-releases-2012-port-ellen-12th-annual-release-lagavulin-21-1991-25977/ Color: Old Gold Nose: savory spice of salt, black pepper, Thai Curry and cardamom combined with dried lemon and something Orange. Toasted almonds, nuts and tarnotes with lots of smoke. Taste: Suesser entry. A combination of oriental spices, local herbs, Dried fruit, gingerbread, dark chocolate, tobacco, tar, Smoke, peat and charred (toasted) oak. Finish: Long, straightforward, clean. With above already mentioned aromas in the highest quality. Note: Absolutely straightforward in nose, taste and finish. Without any false sound! 93 points (nose: 93 / taste: 93 / finish: 93)

the nose is supreme, while the palate and finish are "only" very good

A fantastic Lagavulin. Together with the 1979 Distillers Edition the best I have had from this Islay Distillery

This is one of those drams you won’t easily forget. Lagavulin at its best. That combination of mature spirit, well balanced sherry and earthy peat is a sheer unbeatable combination. Hats off to this dram.

Lagavulin from ex-sherry casks rarely disappoints, and this new 21yo really is special. A perfect blend of smoke and sweetness on the nose, revealing additional layers of complexity with a drop of water. Some wonderful vanilla and tropical fruit mingles with iodine and salty sea air. Lots of leather and smoke on the palate, delivering solid islay characteristics. Very powerful finish that lingers long in the memory. Expensive, but definitely superior to the (wonderful) Distiller`s Edition. One for a special occasion (I`m glad that I bought a sample alongside the full bottle so I could try it straight away!).

The price in Norway was only ca,nkr.1.200. It is hard too open this now. Can it go up for pound 700 Very hard too find at any bar in Norway.

Our Christmas whisky, simply fantastic :)

2020-12-31: a beautiful old Lagavulin

Fantastic Lagavulin. My only criticism is that the bottle absolutely needs oxidation; it doesn't deliver immediately upon opening. Of course, the good thing is that you can store the opened bottle for what feels like forever.

Spectacular! Big fat olorosso sherry, speculoos, orange, honey, sea, earth, coffee, almond, tropical fruit and smoldering fire.

color: Deep mahogany, copper highlights Nose: Smoke, fine and daring, not taking over all other flavors at all, hints of cocoa, spices such as pepper, but also some sea spray, sea salt. Palate: a fresh side, orange zest, hints of almond. a game of savory sweetness that never stops in the mouth. Finish: a smoke well present on the finish, long, and captivating, invigorating. It's true my type! Comment: I am very happy to have a bottle aside. Alcohol perfectly integrated and controlled. A well-mastered distillate, it reminds me of the old lagavulin 12 white horse, but with a more intense alcohol.

Smell of fragrance: It is a magnificent smell of fragrance. Laga's wine always gives people a sense of integrity. The beginning is smoked, herbs and ginseng tea float on the surface, followed by peat and ashes as the second layer, and in the depths are melon ham, sweet and sour candied fruit, and fruit as the core. Soup of leather, cloves, elderberry and Chinese medicine. Wake up, red berries, red grapes, loquat paste, honey roasted pears. The peat is always shrouded like smoke, which can only be sensed but cannot be touched. 93/100 Taste: refreshing of honeydew melon and cucumber, honey citrus, sweet and rich fruit candy, very mature. Ores, leather, male cloves, laurel and other spices, black chocolate. Tar-like peat, a combination of oak and coal 95/100 Body: heavy body, well-structured, solid and full, smooth and smooth 93/100 Ending rhyme: long, deep coax coffee beans, bean to bar, torch 92/100 Overall: 93.5/100, all of Laga's great wines make people feel magnificent, the appearance of each element is orderly, and the smooth and smooth feeling of drinking is unforgettable.

Smell ---------------------- 92 taste--------------------92 End rhyme--------------------91

Ok, maybe we annoyed you so I’m leaving a brief comment. There’s only one disappointing aspect of the distillate: the high and always-increasing cost. But if you can, don’t pass on it: take it and drink it. And love it.

I like this a lot. But, in the scheme of things, is it worth $600? It's really great, and I'm glad for getting the samples because I don't see myself paying that type of cash for this expression, especially when you can get the DE without too much trouble. To be fair, this is a much cleaner and precise profile, and it's got a bit more balance, but it also lacked the power and seductive chewiness that I love about the 16 and DE. purchased sample

Nose: Elegant peat spice dish! Ore, cumin, begonia, daisy, clove, cardamom, dried apple, very "Lagavulin-ism". Palate: Picnic party sitting by the sea, ore, salt biscuits, lemongrass, nectar, baked banana, apple pie, hazelnut dark chocolate, white pepper, cloves, cardamom cured meat. Balance, Body: Heavy wine body, moderate oiliness, impeccable balance, full-bodied wine strength and evidence of advancement and retreat. Finish: Long. Ore, coarse salt, honey water, white pepper, cardamom, hazelnuts.

Ethereal (medicinal, aniseed) and empyreumatic (asphalt).

Not exactly old school but the sherry goes with the smoke like chips and burger. Delish

Brillant, fantastic and wonderful!

a worthy dram. different to what I have tasted in the other high cask strength Lagavulin bottles. fantastic finish.