LAGAVULIN 12 YEAR OLD SPECIAL RELEASES 2021 SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

The King of Islay in his prime, fiercely rampant, with a clarity of vision and a sense of purpose none can deny.

A glorious and classic Lagavulin, with an intensity, saltiness and sweetness that balance perfectly as perfumed wood smoke rises to envelop them all; absolutely delicious.

TASTING NOTES

APPEARANCE : Lustrous pale straw-gold.

BODY : Medium.

NOSE : Mild, drying and soon, wonderfully aromatic; clean, fresh and maritime, with top notes of sea air and Himalayan salt, supported by fragrant smoke-dried Lapsang Souchong tea, mineral salts and light cleansing salve. Beneath these lie drier notes of cocoa powder and dried seaweed, with a squeeze of lemon zest, this salty sweetness imbued with wood-smoke from a distant bonfire on the shore.

PALATE : The texture is smooth and attractively oily; the taste sweet to start then soon growling with an intense lemon acidity, with a sprinkling of sea-salt and persistent char talking each sip. The overall salty-sweet taste is rounded, softened and sweetened by a drop of water.

FINISH : Long, with great waves of smoke, and roaring with chili pepper warmth. Even better with a dash of water. Smoke lasts wonderfully in the aftertaste.

Diageo unveils 2021 Scotch Whisky Special Releases Collection “Legends Untold”

Impeccably crafted, the highly anticipated Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection features eight treasured whiskies and this year, the first-ever augmented reality experience, revealing untold stories of the distilleries in a unique and enchanting way.

The 2021 collection, drawn from some of Scotland’s most interesting, legendary distilleries and curated by Master Blender Dr Craig Wilson, portrays the otherworldly beings which have fiercely protected the heartlands of remote Scottish distilleries for an eternity, according to our ancient fables, and the mythical creatures come to life revealing their true characters. Drawn from renowned distilleries, the collection nods to the hidden gems that can be found in each corner of the Scottish terrain amongst the lochs and rugged highlands.

The annual, carefully selected line-up highlights the diversity of our most treasured whisky reserves maturing in Scotland. Each whisky will be visually brought to life with heavily detailed illustrations and design work from renowned digital illustrator　Ken Taylor. His striking signature style and interpretation of the mythical creatures takes cues from his portfolio of pop culture artwork.

Activated through an on-pack QR code, a multi-sensory experience begins with a narration of the cask-strength Single Malts’ tale. Enthusiasts are then guided through a mixed reality tasting experience, designed to captivate their senses and bring a taste of Scotland to their homes.

• For those curious to find out more, the collection includes:
• The darkly robust and rich Mortlach 13-Year-Old from the Speyside Dufftown distillery
• A briny, bold fire-breathing sea-monster of a malt with smoky undertones in the Talisker 8-Year-Old
• A rare Highland expression of the Royal Lochnagar with a nimble springtime freshness
• Two unique and enchanting expressions of the Lagavulin, ‘The King of Islay’: A fiercely intense, yet perfectly balanced sweet and salty 12-Year-Old and, the jewel in the crown, a 26-Year-Old, finished in first-fill Pedro Ximenez/Oloroso casks

“We have delved into the core characteristics of several classic distilleries, for the Legends Untold collection. Taking inspiration from the mythical creatures of this year’s collection, we have revealed new depths of flavour and embraced the essence of each whisky’s unique profile revealing the legend it brings to life. This year’s collection is just the very beginning of the story.” Dr Craig Wilson Master Blender