Lagavulin Distillery, Scotland     founded: 1816 | active
For more detailed mapping of the distilleries in the area from our whisky map page, use this link.

A decidedly festive nose. Picture if you will, a seasonal spread with plum and Christmas pudding, bowls of raisins, dates and almonds - and as we're feeling continental, stroopwaffles and crepe suzette. Is someone having brandy butter with their dessert? Amongst the citrusy aromas of blood oranges and tangerines, there is also a hint of something a tad more piquant - a pinch of black pepper, sprinkle of paprika, a grating of ginger perhaps.

Certainly not your typical Lagavulin. There's that rich sweetness again - a mouthful of creme brulee with a dollop of treacle or golden syrup. This is mitigated somewhat by the twang of lemon, with the added tartness of green apples and gooseberries. Give it a little while, and you'll start to discern something approximating the smoky flavours of your usual Lagavulin - barbequed pork-steak and Frazzles bacon-flavoured crisps. Smooth it might be, but balanced to the point of obscurity.

A medium finish that doesn't linger. Pickled rhubarb, salty aniseed, peppered basil - again, it's a mixed bag. While no one can deny this is a pleasant dram, it definitely lacks the potential to 'wow'.

~£50 (70cl)

We've always scored out of 10 in our group (see number in red box, below), with scores regularly given across that spectrum. The value out of 100 below is adjusted to the scale most commonly used for whisky reviews, to allow for better comparison.

81 / 100