A few weeks in the past a 30 12 months previous Lagavulin single cask was introduced. It’s a part of the Casks of Distinction collection, which unites uncommon single casks from the Diageo portfolio, often very previous whisky and sometimes from closed distilleries as effectively.
This Lagavulin is a 1991 classic, taken from a primary fill European oak cask that was seasoned with a proprietary mix of Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez wines. Thoughts that I’m writing wine as there’s apparently no correct accreditation from the sherry area (the place a mixture of Oloroso and PX must be known as Cream sherry anyway). Fascinating!
Normally Casks of Distinction bottlings have one rich proprietor. On this case there are 4: the Hong Kong Whisky Fellows and Home Welley Whisky bar, along with Boris and Sebastian from Wu Dram Clan and Christoph Kirsch.
Lagavulin 30 yo 1991 (44,3%, OB ‘Casks of Distinction’ for HKWF / Home Welley / Kirsch / Wu Dram Clan 2022, first fill European oak Oloroso / PX puncheon #5403, 318 btl.)
Nostril: the stability between (light) peat and (clear) sherry is ideal. Maybe additionally a little bit sharper extra vivid than I anticipated. Loads of pipe tobacco and humidor, mixing with black olives in brine and scorched oranges. Tarry ropes, polished brassware and resinous oils. Then leathery and meaty notes, caraway seeds and forest earth with moss and mushrooms. Stewed rhubarb, blackcurrant and plum within the background, sourish fruits with a faint balsamic edge. Extra Oloroso than PX I’d say – good. General a really advanced dram.
Mouth: mild peat and mild sherry once more, with a really accessible ABV as effectively. There are sourish tobacco leaves, Seville oranges, briney water, Pu-Erh tea and hints of raspberry. Loads of leather-based and earthy notes. Hints of grilled bacon within the distance. Then liquorice and ginseng, hints of stout beer and charcoal. It’s somewhat vertical at instances, changing into more and more medicinal and resinous in direction of the tip.
End: lengthy and savoury, no extra fruits now. As a substitute we discover chilly ashes, tobacco, extra chocolate stout and a faint oaky edge.
A very nice profile, actually not docile in spite of everything these years. It’s not as heat as I anticipated from Lagavulin and never as wealthy as I anticipated from this “sherry cask” both. Whereas I deliberate to sit down again and chill out, it stored me on the sting of my chair. A pleasant sweet-sour-savoury mixture with a pointy edge. Round € 3750, however I consider all bottles have been allotted.
