Lagavulin 16

Classification: Single Malt
Distillery: Lagavulin
Region/Island: Islay
Mashbill:  Peat-Smoked Barley
Age: 16 Years
Proof: 86

Nose: It greets you like an old fisherman’s jumper — cured meats, tar, and a whiff of rubber that’d make a tyre shop jealous. There’s bonfire smoke, driftwood, camphor, and that unmistakable “just tied up a boat with hemp rope” scent. But before you think it’s all rough and ready, in slip some cheeky clementines and white peaches, like a fruit basket smuggled into a shipyard.

Taste: Thick and oily on the tongue, even at its Sunday-service strength, with a salty tang that could make a seagull blush. Sugar-coated peanuts meet smoked barley husks, grilled beef, black olives, and oranges — it’s like a seaside barbecue run by a slightly deranged chef. Then comes the earthy peat, tar, and seaweed — the holy trinity for anyone who enjoys their whisky with a side of maritime abuse.

Finish: Medium, but memorable — salt sprinkles, walnut nibs, syrupy caramel, and a lingering hit of iodine and diesel that’ll stay with you longer than your ex’s parting words.

Overall: One of the most beloved single malts ever made, and for good reason. It’s bold, briny, and not afraid to slap you around the chops before tucking you in. The kind of whisky that calls you a wee numpty, then pours you another.