As I am making my way through this year’s Special Release and starting with the more affordable whiskies, I really wanted to try the oldest of the bunch (and the most expensive) – The Lagavulin 26. Priced at £1,650 it’s not a whisky most of us mere mortals can afford to buy, but someone’s got to do the hard work of tasting it, right?
The whisky comes from a mix of first-fill PX/Oloroso seasoned casks and is the first-ever 26-year-old Lagavulin (not sure why this is important, as it’s not the oldest Laga we’ve seen but anyways). Let’s have a wee go at it.
Lagavulin 26 Special Release 2021 , 44.2% abv, £1,650
Nose: Sweet and sherried (but not too much), with an abundance of sweet marinated smoked meats, Islay fishing boats (tarry rope, hessian), cooked ripe apples, gentle wood smoke and, which gives way to creme de menthe. The sherry influence of the Oloroso & PX denotes a lovely dried fruit background in the form of rich sultanas, figs,s, and ripe plums, sprinkled with wood spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom. further nosing brings up dark cherries and hints of sweet smoke.
Palate: quite soft and approachable at under 45%, with more of the stewed red apples, cinnamon spice, and a touch of tar / TCP. the peat is very gentle, and the pepper adds to the smoky maple glazed bacon bits. I’m also getting a hint of pineapple in here… There’s not an awful lot of wood in there despite the 26 years of age, but the wood is there adding to the complexity, and I would have loved to get more of that old wood influence. oh well.
Finish: smoky bbq meats, and some grilled fruits, tar and peat and hints of smoke, distant campfires, and sweet wine, maybe black tea as well.
Conclusion: This is a very good whisky, but it’s not excellent IMHO. There’s a lot going on, but the sherry and sweet notes have overcome the wood too much, and for me, this is not the best old Lagavulin I’ve had so far. It’s a few levels below the 21 and 30, and although it’s definitely a bottle I would love to have on my shelf – It’s overpriced for what you are getting. A bit more wood, a little less sherry, and it would have been 90’s material. Also, a bit more oomph as in more abv would have added to the whole experience. Lagavulin fans with deep pockets and a knack for lion artwork should check this out.