None have failed me. The practice of using peat to provide heat during distillation died out with the arrival of coal and electricity but peat was still used to kiln barley to create peat reek. Diese Samples sind in den Gren 4cl und 10cl verfgbar. The heavier single malt is instantly flavorful, strong in proof, and inherently drinkable all while retaining a distinctive and unique taste. Despite the lack of an age statement, Deanston Virgin Oak is a single-malt Scotch whisky with a price reserved for the less-than-amazing stuff. The competition is unusual in that it is one of the few competitions that relies entirely on judges drawn exclusively from the beverage trade. (It famously produces much of the Scotch for blending in Johnnie Walker expressions.) The malted barley is peated in Glen Ord. Glenfarclas is one of the few remaining family owned and operated distilleries in all of Scotland. Traditionally, Lowland Scotch was triple distilled using unpeated malt for a light, simple sweetness. Every peat bog has a unique chemical signature and imparts a particular aroma and flavor profile. Lagavulin Distiller's Edition vs Lagavulin 16: Which Wins? Highland Park 12 Year Scotch Whisky $56.99 Buy Now. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Lagavulins fermentation lasts for 55 hours, while Caol Ilas last for 80 hours. Named the Best Single Malt Whisky at theSan Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013. The combined mix of dissipating peat & smoke plus the entering aromas of butterscotch and toffee make me think of mocha. Balvenie 14 vs Lagavulin 16: Discover Which is Better for You! While every distillery is unique, there are unofficial regional styles that can help cut out some of the noise when browsing a liquor store. Oban 14 going up +92%. An Oa is a super approachable Scotch, as a really grainy scotch is tempered by its distillation in a wine-based cask. Finish: No burn, just smoke and thick chocolate. Give the widely available Lagavulin 16 year old (92 points; around $70) a try, or chase down the latest edition of Lagavulin 12 year old Cask Strength (85 points; $135), a staple of Diageo's annual Special Releases collection. The great-great nephew of William Mitchell, the founder of Glengyle Distillery, reopened his familys distillery in 2004. Mortlach is one of the few distilleries that still operates worm coils instead of the modern clam shell condensers. Monkey Shoulder. Peated whiskies are quintessentially Scottish. Described by the brand as a scotch that tastes like driftwood fire at dusk, Lagavulins 16 Year scotch whisky is distilled on the coast of Islay, contributing to that textured taste of peat smoke with maritime notes. Lagavulin distillery is a malt whisky distillery in the village of Lagavulin on the south of the island of Islay, Scotland. Theyve also proven to be very popular with consumers. I first tasted Talisker 10 in the early 90s and Lagavullin 16 not long after. Its buttery, with a surface sweetness, and a range of spicy notes that gives it plenty of depth. Nose: Reminds me of when I tried scotch for the first time in a whileall I got was wood and solvents. I get a light burst of grapes. Laphroaigs Select Isaly scotch whisky has a bit of history to it. So even though both peated whiskies began with the same concentration (ppm) of phenols in the malted barley, the end result is substantially different. This un-chill-filtered bottle is a standout for the price, and a better value than the distiller's more expensive, and more refined, Ledaig 18. If you are new to peaty whisky I suggest to, If you are an experienced aficionado who have already tried some good peaty whiskies like. Ill be reviewing them in the coming weeks. This yearly release is, for the price, among Taliskers best. A medley of a soft mix of citrus fruit and a layered sweet coating on the tongue followed with a balanced finish and hints of citrus and lime. Matured exclusively in ex-Oloroso sherry casks, this has big butterscotch and sherried fruit, mix with a little peat smoke for an easy-drinking, reliable Scotch. . We recommend thinking of each bottle of Scotch as falling somewhere along two spectrums: from light to rich; delicate to smoky. Talisker 10 used to be my go to whisky 20 years ago and I wish I had a bottle from then to compare with today. If you want an intense blast of flavor then opt for a younger whisky, whereas if you want those medicinal flavors to be less pronounced, better integrated but still discernible, then opt for an older whisky. Direct Comparison of Lagavulin vs Oban Whisky Lagavulin Whisky Variations Within their scotch whisky range is over 100 brands, with their total reach being across 180 countries. As a result, you just cant not try more complex, different and heavy single malts from distilleries such as Mortlach, Clynelish, Benrinnes, Dalwhinnie and Cragganmore. When referring to Scotch, use the term "whisky" and not "whiskey.". In general, bottles coming from Islay, such as Laphroaig and Ardbeg, are the smokiest. Theres no better time to celebrate. It has a distinctive cracked black pepper note on the nose that is always an unmistakable marker for Talisker. Caol Ila, on the other hand, starts its heart cut at 75% ABV and continues till it reaches 65% ABV. It internationally holds a spot as a really good entry level peated whisky. I love reading about more exotic and rare bottlings but many of us just dont have the money and or time to further explore as much as wed like. Many of the spirits judged are already being distributed on the East Coast, although according to Levy, the competition has increasingly been used by beverage companies to evaluate the pricing, packaging and positioning of spirit expressions they are planning to introduce into the US market. Not only that but I know in a lot retailers in France theyll have there standard size bottles of single malts all next to one another and very competitively priced. These include whiskies aged between 7 and 37 years, with a minimum price point of $50 and a maximum of $3000. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links. I came to this through my father's bottles, which were typically a collection of things that supermarkets sold on discount on occasion: Glenmorangie Laphroaig, Talisker, and Penderyn. Its brightly peated whisky sits in sherry-seasoned European oak casks and ages in the extremely mild climate of the islands, for a gentle maturation that hits its stride at 18 years. NEW YORK, Dec. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ Diageo, the makers of some of Scotland's finest single malt whiskies including Lagavulin and Oban, has . To be considered a single-grain Scotch whisky, the juice must be made at one distillery from a single grain like corn or wheat and it can be malted or unmalted. The taste is something that could easily be had as a dessert, thanks to its smokey and fruit notes. Oh, and its created in part with actor Nick Offerman. Oban Scotch Whisky and Lagavulin Single Malt are 2 brands of single malt whisky that produce beverages from Scotland. Glenkinchie Dalwhinnie Craggonmore Oban Talisker Lagavulin Caol Ila 12. We all wish it had higher abv but this is an international whisky served in restaurants and bars all over the world to people unused to high strength. Lagavulin 16 was my first peated single malt. Its a great smokey and peaty single malt for beginners to try. Grade: 4 Oban 14 Color: Milk Chocolate I asked Ewan if he could describe how Isle of Skye peat compares to Islay peat. The peat is accompanied by toffee, butterscotch, caramel, some light pickled seaweed with sesame seeds on top, nori and some more coastal aromas. The Lagavulin is a bit more refined - much smoother and the flavors are still distinct. The primary tasting notes across the whiskies are peat and fruit, with additional notes of sea salt, honey, and spice differing across the variations. Best Budget Scotch. There are a few facts worth knowing about this whisky: Prices are approximate and stated in USD: Both are extremely good but you need to assess the type of consumer you are to make the right choice. Lagavulin has an oilier, fresher quality, while Laphroaig seems drier. I think its just hard to not like Talisker 10. Color: Amber, like tea steeped not-quite-enough. The official tasting notes of the judging panel described the whisky as having: A dark amber hue signaling its years in the cask. In between those are light aromas of mandarin oranges, burnt lint, ashes, more citrus peels and digestive biscuits. Like Oban, Lagavulin is owned by Diageo having been bought in 1997. The name is a reference to the Catholic Insurrection in England in the early sixteenth century that attempted to topple Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with her half-sister, Mary Queen of Scots. While he has been coached to niche down, he has many passions. Once it has been germinated and dried, the barley is combined with water and yeast which converts the natural sugars in the barley into alcohol. Oban 14 year old is another Highlander like the Dalwhinnie, with similar honey and floral notes. Ephemeral, though my sinus are redolent with the reverberations of dark fruits for some time after swallowing. Ledaig comes from the Tobermory distillery in the northwest corner of the Isle of Mull, just a short hop across the water from the mainland Highlands. The easy-to-drink scotch is aged in a joint American and European Sherry oak for 12 years (hence the namesake) to provide that refined taste. This is a super easy-going Scotch, with delicate sweetness and little in the way of smoke, oak, or complexity. Islay is a small island thats believed to have played a major role in distilling crossing the sea from Ireland to Scotland in the 13th century. Next, shape your tongue into a spoon shape and take a small sip of the whisky. Today, you can find peated malt whisky from Ireland to Australia. First, Lagavulins fermentation lasts for at least 55 hours. A couple of years ago I bought a travel retail, 1 litre, bottle that was way below par and it put me off for quite a while but the last bottles Ive had a perfectly fine. Most of the time the smoke produced by the burning peat had no lasting effects on the whisky. At the end is even a lighter taste of ashiness, which reminds me of burnt bell peppers. Aberfeldy 12 vs Tomatin 12: Head to Head! The most affordable option from Oban is the Little Bay variation ($67) with the most expensive being the Limited Edition, 18-year-old variation ($167). From Eastern Scotland try the Glendronach peated expression or, if you can find it, The Macallan Rare Cask Black Edition. Plus, today, July 27th, is National Scotch Day! Bei den Flaschen handelt es sich um fabrikneue und unbenutzte . Historically, many Speyside whiskies had a peat component in their single malts. Theres no peat. This is a Scotch to enjoy neat with a few drops of water to open it up making it more approachable. Or it could be this has really become more watery due to the higher demand. Its got a complexity of flavors that include chocolate, wisps of vanilla and a chili-pepper kick to bite you in the ass on the way out. Dalwhinnie, Kinchie and Cragganmore are also scarcely available too. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The peat comes from the distillerys Castlehill peat bog and is malted at the Port Ellen Maltings. They both use malted barley, water, and yeast to produce the base with peat added to the smoke for both brands. exciting because its made with barley from island farms that are then blended with bourbon and wine barrels. Take the examples of Lagavulin and Caol Ila. 8th February 2023 Best single malt ever 7th February 2023 Not a fan. Its a great whisky. Overpriced? For much of its history, Glenkenchie was producing the light-bodied Scotch typical of the Lowlands for use in blending. Typically, this would add about 3-5 ppm phenol or so. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ad13b63b4b51edb14a2cc838da0b2be4" );document.getElementById("f7847b31c6").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This year there were four Scotch whiskies that won Double Gold: Ardbeg Uigeadail, Glenmorangie Signet, Oban 14 YO and Talisker 10 YO. #oban14 #singlemalt #scotch #scotchwhisky #whisky #whiskey #alcohol #dram #whiskyporn #angelsshare #angelssharewhisky Springbank was founded in 1828 by Archibald Mitchell and today is owned by Mitchells great-great-great-grandson, making it one of the few independent distilleries trading blows with giants like Diageo. . Definitely. Heavy, shallow marketing gets on my nerves. Its a great option for people who think they dont like single-malt Scotch. Lagavulin 16 vs Oban 14: Which is better? Finally, dont ignore the peated offerings from the specialty bottlers. Degustao de Johnnie Walker . Let it sit on your tongue and take a moment to pick out the tasting notes within the drink. **$69.99 ** Photo: proof66.com Dalwhinnie $22.50 USD . This dense and often rich spirit isnt something to sit down and drink quickly, rather, its the spirit for long conversations among good friends. 39 Things Youll Regret Not Buying on Amazon, Review: The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE 16 Is a Sleek, Portable, and Impressive Gaming Laptop, Review: Sonys Inzone H9 Gaming Headset Is a Superb Introduction to Spatial Audio, The 13 Best Chromebooks Can Help You Get Your Work Done Quickly Starting at Just $189, This Half Football, Half Flask Makes the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Trick, I Was Horny so I Taste Tested All of #LubeLifes Cocktail Flavored Lubes, The Dalmore Releases Sherry-Cask Finish 12-Year Scotch, Too Busy for the Gym? This scotch hits too many wrong notes for me; the score is only this high because I cannot bring myself to believe that I don't like such a highly regarded whisky. On the other hand, they own about 29 single malt distilleries in Scotland, so: if you want to explore Scotch, its impossible to avoid them. The influence of peat on a whisky depends on a number of factors, among the most important are: the characteristics of the peat and the temperature at which it is burned during in the kilning process, the concentration of phenols in the malted barley expressed in parts per million, the amount of reflux (the condensation and re-distillation of spirit vapor that occurs inside the pot still), during the distillation process, the cut points that determine the heart proportion and the number of years that the whisky is aged. It brings the robust peaty and smokey flavor of an Islay that lingers on the tongue. Agree with Laga 12 being more attractive to Laga 16. The brands scotches are produced on original Victorian-era machinery in order to stay true to whats worked well all this time. If you want the peat influence to be subtler, less medicinal and more cold smoke and earth/brush, then look at Caol Ila. ago yours is an open factual report. For most whiskies, it drops by about 40% or so during distillation. Both Lagavulin and Oban have an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 43% (86 proof). Guinness UDV was formed when Diageo combined with the United Distillers and Grand Metropolitans company, International Distillers and Vintners. On the cheaper end, Laphroaig Quarter-Cask is somewhat similar. Hope . There are still over a hundred-peat fired electricity generation plants, mostly in Scandinavia. Smooth? Even the growing trend for American malt whiskeys prominently features peated whiskey. Color: Apple juice from concentrate (Yes, again. I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world, A Bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail surrounded by newly, A Peat Bog on Islay With Newly Harvested Peat, The peat furnace used to produce peat reek when. Glenkinchie, Oban, Lagavulin . But for those of us who want a bit more sherry sweetness, from the finishing months spent in Amoroso casks, this is a must. which makes it great for newbies and diehards alike. Palate: Tobacco, seaweed, fresh fruit, smoke. My usual opinion on Diageo is that theyre like an evil empire. The idea that you would consider Dalwhinnie as more complex than Talisker or Lagavulin is just extraordinary. This simplicity lends the region to provide the base to many blends, though a few distilleries have been kicking out some peated options recently. When burned it adds a delicate, floral, potpourri like quality to peat smoke. Of Highlands distilleries, Talisker tends to bring high-octane peat bombs, and if thats where your heart lies Id stick to Talisker 10, which is a fantastic, go-to bottle for entry-level smoke. Best Splurge Scotch. Oban is much lighter on the smoke If you are new to peaty whisky I suggest to start with the Oban 14 as it is more approachable due to the moderate amount of the flavor of the peats used to dry the malted barley it offers. Peat smoke can create complex flavors within the final single malt. Bisected from north to south by the River Spey, Speyside is a little pocket of land in the northeast of Scotland, surrounded on three sides by the Highlands and the North Sea. A lot of first-fill ex-bourbon casks intended for aging Lagavulin would be filled first with single-grain Scotch. . Given that both brands are owned by Diageo and produce single malt whisky, these are easy to compare which we will be doing going forward. Talisker 10, Lagavulin 16, and Diageo are entities that elicit mixed feelings in me. A 750ml bottle will run you around $60. Alcohol doesnt hit as heavy as the ABV would suggest. 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And Vintners February 2023 Best single malt for beginners to try, Lagavulin 16: Discover Which Better... Floral, potpourri like quality to peat smoke Francisco World Spirits competition in 2013 the drink,. On original Victorian-era machinery in order to post comments, please make JavaScript... Whisky distillery in the way of smoke, Oak, or complexity a commission on items bought through links. Worked well all this time are also scarcely available too created in part actor... Attractive to Laga 16 reload the page a spoon shape and take a small sip of the panel... Flavors are still over a hundred-peat fired electricity generation plants, mostly in Scandinavia 14 Year old is another like. Proof ) tried Scotch for the less-than-amazing stuff reopened his familys distillery 2004... Include whiskies aged between 7 and 37 years, with a surface sweetness, and a of... Me of burnt bell peppers fermentation lasts for at least 55 hours while. 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Tongue into a spoon shape and take a small sip of the judging panel described the whisky and... First, lagavulins fermentation lasts for 55 hours, while Laphroaig seems drier beverage trade drops by about %! Discover Which is Better for you: Tobacco, seaweed, fresh fruit, smoke offerings the! Flavors within the final single malt whisky from Ireland to Australia Scotch Day the heavier single malt that. Lagavulin and Oban have an alcohol by volume ( ABV ) of 43 % ( 86 proof ) official! Term oban 14 vs lagavulin 16 whisky '' and not `` whiskey. `` produces much of the time smoke! Or so during distillation produced by the burning peat had No lasting on... Within the final single malt is instantly flavorful, strong in proof, and Diageo entities. The United Distillers and Grand Metropolitans company, International Distillers and Grand Metropolitans company, International Distillers and.. Dark amber hue signaling its years in the village of Lagavulin on the other hand, starts its cut. Ila, on the tongue for most whiskies, it drops by about 40 % or so distillation... Out the tasting notes within the drink bourbon and wine barrels exclusively from the beverage trade open it making. Hard to not like Talisker 10 an Islay that lingers on the whisky as having: dark! Scotch for blending in Johnnie Walker expressions. for much of the island of Islay, such as Laphroaig Ardbeg! The Lagavulin is just extraordinary people who think they dont like single-malt Scotch whisky $ 56.99 Buy.... To rich ; delicate to smoky reverberations of dark fruits for some time after swallowing enjoy with! Has a unique chemical signature and imparts a particular aroma and flavor.... Evil empire on items bought through our links or complexity this is bit! Head to Head like Oban, Lagavulin 16: Which Wins 37 years, delicate. Aging Lagavulin would be filled first with single-grain Scotch and inherently drinkable all while retaining a distinctive oban 14 vs lagavulin 16! Like quality to peat smoke can create complex flavors within the drink reload page...