Lagavulin Triple Matured – Exclusive to Friends of the Classic Malts (Official Bottling)

• 48% ABV,
• £100-115 for 70cl
• Score: 87/100

What they say:

Originally released exclusively for the Friends of the Classic Malts, this is one of five triple-matured bottlings across the Classic Malts range that are matured in refill casks, American oak hogsheads and finally European Oak refill casks before being bottled at 48% abv.

Nose: Spicy and rich with dessicated coconut high notes, baking aromas and latte alongside some classic Laga smoke.

Palate: More of what you get on the nose but with those baking notes coming right to the fore. This is basically Lagavulin cake.

Finish: Deliciously sweet black tea.

What we say:

Lagavulin Distillery Warehouse Tasting Sample #5 (and final) sample was the FOCM Triple Matured expression, no-age statement whisky.

Colour:

Irn Bru (Orange Gold for those not from Scotland)

Nose:

Spicy, walnut, fruity honey and ginger, peach, linseed oil, coppery/iron filings

Taste:

Honey sweet with ginger spices, fig, plum, zesty orange, nutty, coppery metallic and smokey peat; with water a little smokey meaty bacon was revealed and the whole expression became fruitier and sweeter

Finish:

Vaporous spicy smoke; with water more honeyed dried fruits but became a little thin and over-spiced/oaked towards the end

Would we buy it:

This is complex, fruity and spicy. Not sure about the price tag; but then it is exclusive and produced in limited numbers and is likely collectable as well as highly drinkable (a dilemma whisky if ever there was one!). If you got the chance I hope you bought/buy 2 just in case!