Diageo has been dropping 12 year old cask strength versions of Lagavulin for as long as I can remember, and nothing much has changed this year — it’s still aged in refill bourbon barrels — except that 2020’s release is available in the U.S., unlike the 2019 edition.

Don’t come looking for a lot of surprises here; year after year Lagavulin 12 is easily the most reliable whisky in the Special Releases series, and fans of the distillery know what they’re getting in to. Here: A nose of briny, ashy forest fires, tinged just so with a note of flamed orange peel.

The palate does feel on the sweet side for Lagavulin, its gentle orange and apricot notes dusted with hints of charcoal soot. A touch of honey on the finish gives the fade-out some brightness, but it remains altogether familiar on the whole.

112.8 proof.

B+ / $164 / malts.com [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY BARREL]

Lagavulin 12 Years Old Limited Edition 2020

$164

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

BUY IT NOW

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