Tasting notes: Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2016

So what do we have today on the menu? Well, it’s the Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2016. I know I’m a little late to the party, but I actually only recently opened this bottle. I also almost forgot to write tasting notes, because I was simply enjoying this whisky and I shared it with friends. A good reason, of course, but luckily I still had enough left for those tasting notes. So here they are.

This Lagavulin has matured in refill American oak hogsheads and 1st fill American oak casks. Bottled at 54.5% ABV.

Lagavulin Jazz Festival 2016 tasting notes:

Nose: Slightly salty, briny. A hint of shells? Some smoke and peat here too. Wet rope. A hint of vanilla. Apples and lemon. A bit of menthol in the background. Then a note of celery. With water: more celery it seems and fruitier.

Taste: Peat. Cookie dough. A hint of celery again. A herbal note. Lemon peels and milk chocolate. A slight bitter coffee note in the end. And some spices, like cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper and nutmeg. With water: Fruitier. And more vanilla.

Finish: The finish is mid-long. It’s ashy, and a bit spicy too.

I had completely forgotten how good Lagavulin can actually be. It may not have an age statement, but man, how delicious this is. With a drop of water, it changes from a true smoke bomb to a slightly more gentle smoky dram with lots of fruit. Very nice!