Lagavulin 1979 MM

For me, peaty whisky can be measured on a spectrum which begins with “there’s just a hint” and ends somewhere around “putting my head into a fireplace”. This venerable old Lagavulin goes beyond this; it’s like walking into a room where a large peat fire raged the night before, and now just the memory of it hangs in the air. It’s still there and still so well-integrated but beautifully mellow. A clear, well-defined fruit profile still exists, and that classic Lagavulin texture supports it. Remember, this was distilled in 1979, back when their spirit was oily and rich in barley character. I tasted this in London last month and then got on the tube afterwards, and its taste lingered well after I had got off—a very, very memorable whisky.Will Wrightson, Customer Experience Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd