“Wildling”
Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Lagavulin Game of Thrones (House Lannister)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 9 Years
Age: 9 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: First Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 60-80 (August 2019)
Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many thanks!
Buying Advice: 😀Pleasant & Young but too expensive Islay Malt. P/Q ratio: 👎
Colour:
Light Gold (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Soft Young Islay. The Smoke and Peat are there but they are not overwhelming by any means. It's a Sweet mixture of Maritime, Fruity, Mineral & Green Notes. It's nothing really special but certainly pleasant. In short, it's all what House Lannister isn't.
Main Aromas:
Malted & Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Toast, Vanilla, Grass, Straw, Farmyard, Fallen Leaves, Coal Smoke, Soot, Ashes, Tar, Orange, Apple, Banana, Melon, Pepper, Licorice, Cinnamon and TCP Pipes.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Salted Caramel, Honey, (Brown) Sugar, Wax, Fish and Meat on the BBQ, Oak Char, Wet Sand, Iodine, Ginger, Mint, Caffe Latte, Rubber and Tobacco Leaves.
Palate:
Its Youth is clear now. Mostly Sweet with a few Bitter and Sour notes. Medium-Dry. The Smoke and "Green" Peat are much more present now. A bit of Alcohol but it stays within limits.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Smoked Ham & Fish, Wet Earth, Wax, Straw, Farmyard, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Wet Sand, Charred Oak, Orange, Apple, Tobacco, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Rubber.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Toffee, Nuts and Nutshells, Herbal Tea, Caffe Latte, Ginger, Gooseberry, Funky Mushrooms, Wet Paper, TCP Pipes and Licorice.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Sweet and Oily. A few Bitter and Sour notes as well. Its Youth is even more noticeable here. The Rubber and Tar notes linger in your mouth for a while. Medium-Dry in the end. I find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Wet Earth, Straw, Farmyard, Vanilla, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Smoked Ham, Charred Oak, Honey, Herbal Tea, Banana, Lemon, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice, Grapefruit, Milk Chocolate and Tobacco.
Drinking Advice:
Added water does not improve this Lagavulin. It simply becomes too Thin.
Rating: 84.5
Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion:
The Lagavulin distillery was founded in 1816 by John Johnston and is located on the South-Eastern coast of Islay, close to Port Ellen. It changed hands various times during its history but today it is firmly controlled by Diageo. Lagavulin currently produces around 2.5 million litres. Lagavulin is one of the key Malts in the White Horse Blend. The distillery range consists of the 12 Y CS, 16 Y and the Distillers Edition. In 2017 an 8 Year old bottled at 48% was added.
A Lannister always pays his debts. Well, you have to pay around 70 US Dollars to get this young Lagavulin. So it's definitively overpriced. But thanks God it isn't really bad like the White Walker. It's actually a rather pleasant young Islay. Especially on the Nose. Palate and Finish are a bit Artificial but not in a bad way this time. I think I would consider buying a bottle if it was around 45 US Dollars. I must admit it doesn't really do justice to the House of Lannister. They are very shrewd, complex, immoral and vicious plotters. It would make a great Greyjoy but that House was taken by Talisker. This Lagavulin 9 Years is Young, Wild, Unpredictable and Daring. Ygritte comes to mind! Therefore, I unofficially proclaim this Lagavulin to be a Wildling!
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende August 28 , 2019
Maturation: First Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 60-80 (August 2019)
Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many thanks!
Buying Advice: 😀Pleasant & Young but too expensive Islay Malt. P/Q ratio: 👎
Colour:
Light Gold (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Soft Young Islay. The Smoke and Peat are there but they are not overwhelming by any means. It's a Sweet mixture of Maritime, Fruity, Mineral & Green Notes. It's nothing really special but certainly pleasant. In short, it's all what House Lannister isn't.
Main Aromas:
Malted & Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Toast, Vanilla, Grass, Straw, Farmyard, Fallen Leaves, Coal Smoke, Soot, Ashes, Tar, Orange, Apple, Banana, Melon, Pepper, Licorice, Cinnamon and TCP Pipes.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Salted Caramel, Honey, (Brown) Sugar, Wax, Fish and Meat on the BBQ, Oak Char, Wet Sand, Iodine, Ginger, Mint, Caffe Latte, Rubber and Tobacco Leaves.
Its Youth is clear now. Mostly Sweet with a few Bitter and Sour notes. Medium-Dry. The Smoke and "Green" Peat are much more present now. A bit of Alcohol but it stays within limits.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Smoked Ham & Fish, Wet Earth, Wax, Straw, Farmyard, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Wet Sand, Charred Oak, Orange, Apple, Tobacco, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Rubber.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Toffee, Nuts and Nutshells, Herbal Tea, Caffe Latte, Ginger, Gooseberry, Funky Mushrooms, Wet Paper, TCP Pipes and Licorice.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Sweet and Oily. A few Bitter and Sour notes as well. Its Youth is even more noticeable here. The Rubber and Tar notes linger in your mouth for a while. Medium-Dry in the end. I find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Wet Earth, Straw, Farmyard, Vanilla, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Smoked Ham, Charred Oak, Honey, Herbal Tea, Banana, Lemon, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice, Grapefruit, Milk Chocolate and Tobacco.
Drinking Advice:
Added water does not improve this Lagavulin. It simply becomes too Thin.
Rating: 84.5
Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion:
The Lagavulin distillery was founded in 1816 by John Johnston and is located on the South-Eastern coast of Islay, close to Port Ellen. It changed hands various times during its history but today it is firmly controlled by Diageo. Lagavulin currently produces around 2.5 million litres. Lagavulin is one of the key Malts in the White Horse Blend. The distillery range consists of the 12 Y CS, 16 Y and the Distillers Edition. In 2017 an 8 Year old bottled at 48% was added.
A Lannister always pays his debts. Well, you have to pay around 70 US Dollars to get this young Lagavulin. So it's definitively overpriced. But thanks God it isn't really bad like the White Walker. It's actually a rather pleasant young Islay. Especially on the Nose. Palate and Finish are a bit Artificial but not in a bad way this time. I think I would consider buying a bottle if it was around 45 US Dollars. I must admit it doesn't really do justice to the House of Lannister. They are very shrewd, complex, immoral and vicious plotters. It would make a great Greyjoy but that House was taken by Talisker. This Lagavulin 9 Years is Young, Wild, Unpredictable and Daring. Ygritte comes to mind! Therefore, I unofficially proclaim this Lagavulin to be a Wildling!
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende August 28 , 2019
