Bowmore Vault Edition First Release Review

“A (Not Too) Salty Dog”   

Whisky Review # 635

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore Vault Edition # 1 (First Release - Atlantic Sea Salt)

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 51.5%
Maturation: Bourbon casks 
Chill Filtration: Probably.  
Price Range: 100-140 US Dollars. (August 2017)
Buying Advice: 😏 Very expensive for what it offers!

Colour: Light Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young and rather Thin. Obviously Bowmore didn't pick the oldest Spirit from their Vault # 1. In a way that makes sense as well as the Salty elements tend to diminish over time. But I don't get a lot of Atlantic Sea Salt either! The Vault Edition # 1 also does not present a lot of Smoke. It's there of course but only in the background. I also find very low levels of Tar, Soot, Ashes, Leather, Iodine and Brine. I do find slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, light Toffee, Toasted Barley, light Charcoal, Citrus Peel, Dried Herbs, Coconut Milk, Grapefruit Juice, Tobacco, Dusty Road, Wet Stones and a few hints of PVC Pipes, Aniseed, Cured Meat and Cocoa Powder. Most of these Aromas are quite faint and it takes a lot of time to find them. It took me over an hour just to have an idea. All in all, the Nose of this Vault Edition # 1 lacks complexity, substance and balance. It's quite disappointing really, especially when you take the hefty price tag into consideration.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Young and slightly Thin despite the high ABV. There is definitively more Salt now and Cured Salami comes to my mind. The Smoke, Peat, Iodine, Soot, Tar and Ashes are still there but remain in the background. This is Islay-Light, even for Bowmore. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley, Sugared Tea, Charred Oak, Vanilla, Cocoa Powder, Orange Peel, Grapefruit/Lemon Juice, Green Apple, light Ginger, Cinnamon, Lemon-Pepper, light Nutmeg, Licorice, Aniseed, Dried Herbs, Tobacco and Mint.    

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Spicy. Dry Smoke, light Soot and Ashes remain a little longer on your Palate. I also find Sweet Toasted Barley,  Brown Sugar, light Caramel, Cocoa Powder, Wet Stone, light Plastic, Grapefruit Juice, Charred Oak, Salted Bacon, Lemon-Pepper, Clove, light Ginger, light Aniseed, Licorice, Dried Herbs, Apple-Vinegar, light Vanilla and Black Currants.

Visit May 2017

Drinking Advice:
This Bowmore does not improve with added Water despite the high ABV. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 82.5 

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

Bowmore is the oldest Distillery on Islay and was founded in 1779 by David Simpson. It changed hands a couple of times along the years but since 1994 the Japanese Suntory group controls Bowmore. Bowmore still malts around 30% of the Barley on their premises. They currently produce around 1,3 million liters of Alcohol. The core range includes the NAS Small Batch Reserve, the 12, the 15 Darkest, the 18 and 25 Years. Some of the Bowmore Spirit is used in Blends like Rob Roy and Black Bottle. We visited the distillery in 2014 and 2017. I really like the Malting Floor. Nice Shop and Visitor-Centre. Certainly well-worth the visit.  

The Vault Edition First Release is called Atlantic Sea Salt and was launched at the end of 2016. It is the first in a series of 4 Single Malts that will be released on an annual basis and seek to highlight the main characteristics of the Bowmore Spirit. The next three expressions will examine Peat/Smoke, Vanilla and Citrus.

Visit May 2014

🍷  The Spirit:  

Bowmore has 2 pairs of Stills. The Lyne arms point slightly upwards and produce a Medium-Bodied, lightly Medicinal Spirit. The Water is sourced from the River Laggan. Lack of rain can upset Bowmore's production as we have seen in the past.

Visit May 2014

🌲  The Wood:

This Bowmore matured in Bourbon casks that were apparently handpicked in the famous Bowmore No. 1 Vault that was constructed in 1779 directly on the shoreline of Loch Indaal. In my opinion the casks were not extremely active and/or did not get sufficient contact with the Spirit. The high ABV can't disguise this I'm afraid.  

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion: 

The Bowmore Vault Edition # 1 is not a bad Single Malt but it kinda disappoints nevertheless. More and more we encounter these relatively young Single malts that come with a high ABV,  a beautiful story and a hefty Price tag. I really like Bowmore's idea to highlight their main characteristics in a series of Single Malts but I would have wished for a better execution of the idea. The way it stands now is that the Vault Edition # 1 does not really represent Atlantic Sea Salt. On the Nose it's practically AWOL and on the Palate and in the Finish it reminds me of Cured Bacon or Salami rather than Sea Salt. This Malt also contains very young and immature Whisky and it shows little of the Smoky and Peaty Islay components, even for a Bowmore. All this doesn't make the Vault Edition # 1 a bad Single Malt. Certainly not. But it does lack Depth, Complexity and Balance, characteristics you would expect to find in a Single Malt that costs at least 120 US Dollars. You can do better Bowmore!       

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 24, 2017

Visit May 2017

Springbank 37 Years (Chieftain's) Review

“Liquid Oak”

Whisky Review # 634

Country: Scotland

Region: Campbeltown

Brand: Springbank

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 37 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Most likely Bourbon casks.
Chill Filtration: No  
Price Range: 950-1000 US Dollars for similar bottlings. (August 2017)
Buying Advice: 😐Neutral. Nice Malt. Very Expensive. Lots of Oak.

Colour: Dark Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose: I'm quite excited because this Springbank is the oldest Whisky I have tasted so far and probably also the most expensive. Be sure to give it sufficient air time in the glass. Okay, here we go! The first thing I notice is the Oak. I have no idea whatsoever in what type of casks this Springbank matured but based on the Colour and the Aromas I'm pretty sure they were Bourbon casks. The Oak is very present and one can argue that the Malt could - and perhaps should have been bottled a few years earlier. Together with the Oak arrive some Varnish, Tobacco and Old Leather aromas. Dusty Books overlooked for years in a slightly damp cellar. The second wave of Aromas can best be described as a Tropical Fruit salad served with Fresh Cream, Honey and a warm Vanilla sauce. I recognise Papaya, Melon, Apple, Pear, Banana, Mango, Peach and Kiwi. You can spend an hour on the Nose and that's exactly what I did. Every five minutes or so a new Aroma pops up. You must find your way around the ever present Oak though. I also find Buttered Toast, Toasted Grain, Caramel, Toffee, Coffee flavoured Dark Chocolate, Dirt Road, Wax, Orange Peel, Floral Soap, light Spices like Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon and the faintest whiff of Smoke. It's a full and rich Nose and there's a lot to discover. I miss balance though as the Oak is too overwhelming.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Bitter-Sweet, slightly Sour, Mineral and Spicy with Toasted Barley, Toast and Orange Marmalade, Honey, Vanilla, Lemon and Grapefruit Juice, Varnish, Charred Oak, Floral Soap, Herbal Tea, Wet Cardboard, Orange Peel, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Tobacco, Wax, faint Smoke, Dirt Road and Menthol. I miss the tropical Fruits from the Nose!  

Finish: Quite Long and Spicy! Sweet at first but with a little Bitterness towards  the very dry end. Charred Oak and Varnish flavours remain in your throat for quite some time actually. I also find Red Wine, Tannins, Orange Liqueur, Wax, Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Dirt Road, Lemon/Grapefruit Juice, Ginger, Pepper, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Floral Soap and Menthol. The dryness makes you eager to have another sip!  

Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and the Wood retreats somewhat and makes place for Fruit and Malt. The Finish becomes quite Short and lifeless though. I have read all recent articles that state that Water usually improves Whisky but I am one of those Rebels that doesn't necessarily agree with that. You might pick up a couple of extra aromas and flavours but you also change the character of the Spirit. If you really like Fruit liqueurs, by all means add Water to your Whisky. Personally I almost always prefer the original character of the Spirit unless we are talking about a Cask Strength Whisky with a very high ABV. And still...! It just proves that the way you prefer to drink your Whisky is very personal.   

Rating: 88

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22

Similar Bottle!

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery, The Bottler and Today's Whisky:

The Springbank distillery was founded in 1828 in Campbeltown and is owned by the Mitchell family since 1837. In the past, Campbeltown was home to over 30 distilleries but only Springbank and Glen Scotia have survived. The Springbank distillery produces three whiskies. The lightly peated Springbank that is distilled two and a half times, the heavily peated Longrow that is distilled twice and the unpeated Hazelburn that is distilled three times. Springbank is a very traditional  distillery and the whole Whisky making process is done at their premises. That includes malting 100% of the Barley. Because of this, Springbank became a sort of cult distillery with many loyal fans. Prices increased accordingly during the last 10 years. We visited the distillery in May this year and absolutely loved it! It's like going back in time. I can fully recommend a visit!

Ian Macleod and Co. Ltd, Broxburn, Scotland was founded in 1833 by Leonard J. Russell Senior and has remained in the Russell family ever since. The current managing director is Leonard Russell. During the years the company bought a number of Whisky, Rum and Gin brands and started a bottling operation in a joint-venture with J & G Grant. The name changed to Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd with the acquisition of the Glengoyne distillery in 2003. In 2011, the company also bought the Tamdhu distillery.

A number of Springbank 37 Years were released in the Ian Macleod's Chieftain's series in the period 2005-2008. They were bottled with ABV's ranging from 40% to Cask Strength. The miniature I'm tasting today was bottled at 46%. It does not carry any information but based on the above it must have been distilled in the late 1960's or early 1970's.

Visit May 2017

🍷  The Spirit:  

Springbank operates 1 Wash still and a pair of Spirit stills. Their Lyne arms are slightly pointing downwards and produce a medium-bodied, Sweet, Spicy and Oily spirit. The water is sourced from the Crosshills Loch.

Visit May 2017

🌲  The Wood:

The distillery uses lots of Ex-Sherry casks for their Springbank expression but in this case I believe that the Chieftain's 37 Years matured in a mix of first-fill and second-fill Bourbon casks.

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion: 

Was I expecting too much? Probably. It's of course not every day that you try a Single Malt that was distilled when you were around 18 years of age. Thirty-Seven years is a long time in a cask however, even for the strong and Oily Springbank Spirit. Too long in my opinion. The Wood simply overwhelms the other Aromas and Flavours of which there are enough to be found when Nosing and Tasting this Springbank. As a result, the Springbank 37 Y is a nice Single Malt but it misses balance. The nice Fruit on the Nose never gets a chance on the Palate and in the Finish. I am also a bit puzzled by the ABV of 46%. Let's assume the Spirit entered the cask with 70% although it's usually around 63%. The Angel's Share amounts to roughly 2% per year. Even if we only consider 1% per year, we would end up with an ABV of 33%. So either the Spirit entered the cask with a considerable higher ABV or the Angel's Share was quite a bit lower than 2% per year. Anybody that can shine a light on this matter is kindly requested to leave a comment. Considering all the above I was slightly disappointed by this 37 year old Springbank. I really like the Fruit on the Nose despite the Oak but on the Palate and in the Finish that same Oak is really overwhelming. I was fortunate to have bought this miniature in The Netherlands in 2014 as part of a small Ian Macleod introduction set. Because I would never spend a 1000 US Dollars or so on a bottle of whisky. Not even on a 37 Year old!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 21, 2017

Visit May 2017

Scapa Skiren Review

“No Substitute for the 16 Years” 

Whisky Review # 633

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Orkney

Brand: Scapa Skiren - Batch SK01

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Bourbon Casks 
Chill Filtration: Yes  
Price Range: US$ 60-70 (August 2017) 
Buying Advice: 😒 Negative. Let's wait for the return of the 16 Years! 

Colour: Golden(Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: The first very clear impression is of Malt Biscuits. I found something quite similar in the Cardhu 12 Years. Barley Juice I called it on that occasion. There is also a quite clear note of New Oak that I regularly encounter in West-European mainland Malts. After a while I also get Buttered Toast, Wax, Heather-Honey, Toffee, Straw, Butterscotch, Green Apples, Apricot Marmalade, Toasted Salted Almonds, Citrus Peel, White Wine and Fresh Herbs. The Alcohol remains in the background. On the Nose, the Skiren is not bad but a bit dull and lifeless. 

Palate: The delivery is a little Thin due to the low ABV. It remains Malty and Waxy with Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Almonds, Heather-Honey, Apple, Pear, Lemon-Peel, light Pepper, Cinnamon, Salt, Cloves, Dusty Road, Sour Grapes, Resin and hints of Milk Chocolate and Sweet Artificially Flavoured Banana Ice-Cream.       

Finish: Bitter-Sweet, Middle-Long, a little Edgy and with a light Metallic off-note right at the end. It stays Malty and Creamy with Puff Pastry filled with Apples, Butterscotch, Toffee and Malt Biscuits. I also find Caramel, Toasted Almonds, Vanilla, Citrus Peel, Heather-Honey, Wax, Cinnamon, light Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Salt and Cocoa Butter.  

Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and the Skiren turns into a Malt flavoured Floral Perfume. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 81.5           

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The Distillery was founded in 1885 by John Townsend and his business partner MacFarlane in St. Ola, close to Kirkwall on Orkney. It was mothballed a couple of times over the years but since it was bought by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) in 2005 things started to improve. A large part of the production disappears in Blends like Chivas Regal and Ballentine's. Scapa did appear on the Single Malt map though in 2008 when the 16 Years was launched. This Malt became quite popular but unfortunately it has been discontinued in 2015 and replaced by the Skiren I'm reviewing today. You can still buy a 16 Year old Scapa named Jutland at the distillery. Scapa derives from the old Norse word Scalp that means boat. It currently produces around 1 million liters per year. 

The Skiren (Norse for Glittering Bright Skies) was launched in 2015, the same year the distillery opened for visitors.

Picture Credit: Tjederswhisky

🍷  The Spirit:  

Scapa only operates one pair of stills. The Wash still is one of only two surviving Lomond stills. The Lyne arm of the Spirit still points slightly upwards at first and produces a rather light, Floral and Grassy spirit. The water is sourced from the Lingro Burn.

Picture Credit: Richard Thomas

🌲  The Wood:

The Skiren matures in First Fill American Oak Bourbon/Whiskey casks purchased in the US states of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Drinking Experience: Average and Disappointing. 

Conclusion: 

Apparently, the Skiren is one of those Single Malts born out of necessity rather than free will. Dwindling stocks and increased demand must have lead Scapa to discontinue the 16 Years and replace it with the Skiren. And while the price of the Skiren is almost identical to the old 16 Years, it can not compete with the latter in terms of Aromas, Flavours and overall quality. There is an artificial feel to the Skiren and the Metallic off-note in the Finish is slightly off-putting. I fully understand the necessity of distilleries to cope with decreasing stocks. I do not agree however when younger, rather immature Malts like the Skiren are released as a replacement at the approximate same price. Despite the fancy name and the nice presentation and packaging. I really can't recommend the Skiren at this price level and I anxiously await the return of the 16 Years!     

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 17, 2017

Glenfarclas 2002 (Whiskyherbst) Review

“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”

Whisky Review # 632

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfarclas 2002

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 9 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 56.1%
Maturation: Sherry Casks 
Chill Filtration: No 
Price Range: An average US$ 175 (August 2017)
Sample received from Jan Bronkhorst, the Netherlands. Many Thanks! 
Buying Advice: 😐 Good Single Malt. Quite Expensive. Christmas Gift! 

Colour: Mahogany/Dark Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose: The colour suggests active casks and this is confirmed by the Nose. Very rich, lightly Sweet and oily Oloroso Sherry is the main driver here with an array of Dried Fruits, Nuts and Spices. I find Figs, Dates, Raisins, Sultanas, Almonds, Chestnuts, light Clove, Cinnamon and Ginger. Other Aromas include Sweet Barley, Straw, Grass, Buttered Toast, Blackberries, Port Wine, Heather-Honey, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Mint, Peach, Orange Peel, Balsamic Vinegar, Oak and hints of Dusty Road, Chocolate and Rum. Perhaps some very faint Sulphur and Varnish notes but they are very nicely integrated. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not spoil the party. The 2002 feels certainly older than its 9 years. Good Cask Management.

Visit May 2014

Palate: The delivery is Powerful thanks to the high ABV. Full, Rich and Mature despite its young age. I find Toasted Barley, Golden Syrup, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Figs, Plums, Raisins and Apricots, Roasted Nuts, Caramel, Marzipan, Treacle, Heather-Honey, Oak, Orange-Peel, Pepper, Clove, Salt, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Mint, Tobacco and Dried Herbs.   

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Spicy and Oaky. Again,you would guess this to be much older than 9 years. Quite Dry and with some clear Peppermint and Menthol notes towards the end. I also find Toasted Barley, Dried Fruit like Figs and Apricots, Nuts, Marzipan, Milk Chocolate, Orange Marmalade, Dry Earth, Salted Caramel, Heather-Honey, Tobacco, Port Wine, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom and Aniseed. The Alcohol is quite strong and I also find some traces of Sulphur. Nothing serious though.

Drinking Advice:
Due to the fact that I only had a small sample at my disposal I merely tasted this Glenfarclas neat. 

Rating: 88          

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 22

Bottle # 250 out of 672

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The distillery was founded in 1836 by Robert Hay in Ballindalloch (Banffshire). It was bought by the Grant family in 1865 and it remains in their possession until today. The core range consists of the 8, 10, 12 , 15, 21 and 25 years, the 105 CS and the NAS Heritage. The Glenfarclas Malt is also used in Blends like the Isle of Skye. Glenfarclas produces around 2 million liters per year. The distillery only uses Ex-Sherry casks to mature the Spirit. 

The Glenfarclas 9 Years I'm reviewing today was bottled at cask strength in 2011 exclusively for the German whisky fair "Copenicker Whiskyherbst" that has been organised in Berlin since the year 2000. Since 2013 the venue is an old Malt factory. The fair attracts around 3500 visitors every year.

🍷  The Spirit:  

Glenfarclas operates 3 pair of directly fired stills. They are the largest stills on Speyside. The Lyne arms mostly point downwards. The stills produce a full, nutty, lightly peated and sherried Spirit. The water is drawn from the Green Burns.

Visit May 2014

🌲  The Wood:

The Glenfarclas 2002 Whiskyherbst matured in First-Fill Oloroso Sherry Casks. A total of 672 bottles were filled. Despite a few light Sulphur notes, the cask(s) have wonderfully interacted with the Glenfarclas Spirit. It proves that you can produce good and relatively young whisky when using quality casks. 

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion: You're already thinking about Christmas and you don't know what to ask Santa? In that case, a bottle of the Glenfarclas 2002 Whiskyherbst might be an interesting proposition. There are still some bottles for sale on the Internet. It's a very nice Whisky to enjoy after a nice Christmas dinner. And, who knows, with a good Cigar for company. It's not a perfect whisky as the Alcohol is a little Edgy at times and there are a few light Sulphur/Varnish notes  around. But on the whole this Glenfarclas 2002 shows what can be done in a relatively short time with a good quality Spirit and some good casks. Well done Glenfarclas and well done Whiskyherbst. I'm ready for Christmas. When drinking this Malt I can almost hear the Jingle Bells!    

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 14, 2017

Visit May 2014

Lagavulin 12 Years Cask Strength Review

“The Price of Love”

Whisky Review # 630

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Lagavulin

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years Cask Strength (Bottled in 2016)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.7%
Maturation: Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No 
Price Range: US$ 130-150 (August 2017) 
Buying Advice: 😐Good Malt but very expensive. Go for the 16 instead!

Colour: Pale Straw/Chardonnay (Natural Colour) 

Nose: Unmistakably Islay with Wet Clay, Smoked Fish, Shellfish and Bacon on the BBQ, Brine, Soot, Iodine, Fresh Asphalt, Campfire Ashes, Horse Saddles, Sweet Malt, Toast with Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Lemon-Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Dusty Bookshelves, Dried Herbs, light Menthol, Banana Nut Bars and hints of Pineapple, Plastic Pipes and Rubber. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. Still, this is what Islay is all about and I like it!      

On My Way to Islay - May 2017

Palate: Bitter Sweet with some Sour, Mineral, Herbal and Citrus notes as well. A little Thin despite the high ABV. I find Sweet Barley, Toast, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Toffee, Salted Bacon, Wet Clay, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Toasted Oak, Orange - and Lemon Peel, Grapefruit Juice, Herbal Tea, Licorice, Menthol, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Green Apples, Dusty Road and hints of Dark Chocolate and Espresso.      

Finish: Middle-Long. Bitter-Sweet with a few Herbal, Medicinal - and Sour notes as well. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Toasted Oak, Orange - and Lemon Peel, Wet Vegetation, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Heather-Honey, Herbal Tea, Green Apple, light Menthol, light Licorice, Ginger, Pepper and hints of Bitter Chocolate and Espresso.

Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and the Nose becomes quite Malty and Nutty. The Alcohol is of course less noticeable. More Toffee and less Smoke on the Palate. The Finish gets a little Thin. You can certainly experiment with a few drops of Water. 

Rating: 87         

Nose: 22 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21.5  - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The distillery was founded in 1816 by John Johnston and is located on the South-Eastern coast on 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 liters. The 12 Years CS is part of the core range next to the famous 16 Years and the Distiller's Edition. Lagavulin Malt is one of the key Malts in the White Horse Blend. 

The 12 Years Cask Strength was launched for the first time in 2002 and since has been released on an annual basis.

Washbacks - Visit May 2014

🍷  The Spirit:  

Lagavulin operates two pairs of stills. Relatively short Copper contact and a slow distillation produce a full-bodied classical Islay Spirit. The water is sourced from Solum Lochs.

Visit May 2014

🌲  The Wood:

The 12 Years Cask Strength matures in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. 

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion:

The Lagavulin 12 Years CS is a good Single Malt without any doubt. Personally I think it could live with a slightly lower ABV of say 46 to 48% as the Alcohol is a bit too present at times. That could also lower the price a little as 130 to 150 US Dollars is a lot of money for a 12 Year old Single Malt. Purely from a Price versus Quality perspective the 16 Years does a much better job although the latter could do with a slightly higher ABV as it is now bottled at 43%. Flavour - and Aroma wise, both are good representatives of Islay Whisky. The 12 Years CS is relatively Young, slightly Edgy and a little Wild whereas the 16 Years is more mature, more balanced but also slightly less adventurous. I would like to have both in my whisky cabinet but if I'm forced to choose I'll go for the 16 Years that is more mature and has the better Price/Quality ratio.  

Jan van den Ende                                                                    August 7, 2017

Lagavulin Visit May 2014