Laphroaig 10 vs Lagavulin 16

[dirtysnkrs]

Relatively new scotch drinker here...last 6 months or so by way of Johnnie Walker Gold (Jack Daniels Single Barrel before that, and Courvoisier XO before that!!)

Was recommended Laphroaig 10 yr as an "out there" scotch, kind of like Bookers in bourbon. On a lark tried it; 180 degrees from JW Gold...loved it!

Different whiskies for different moods. Still like my JWG and JDSB. (Cognac has gone towards Martell Cordon Bleu...) Anyway, just tried Lagavulin 16 and love it as well. Laphroiag is a bit coarser, although just as punchy and about 1/3 the price.

So, two questions: What do people think of Laphroaig vs Lagavulin? How about Ardbeg (which I have yet to try)?

Having tried the first two, I'd be interested to hear people's take on each regarding flavors, taste, impact, etc. to see how they jive with my impressions. Also curious to see how people think Ardbeg stands up before I try it. Welcome all comments!

I've had all three scotches that you've mentioned and they are all great. The Laphroaig Quarter Cask is one of my favorites, too; a finish that lasts what seems like minutes.

If you enjoy the Laph 10 and the Lagavulin, you will definitely like the Ardbeg 10. Over time, while enjoying all three, I found myself wanting to go back to the Ardbeg 10 on a regular basis. The Ardbeg 10 is also a great value. I get it for around $50.

Go out and get yourself an Ardbeg 10. You won't be disappointed.

The two are pretty close, actually, but you're right, the 'frog is a tad rougher, which I like. Ardbeg is crisper and more distinct. Laphroaigs Quarter Cask which has more exposure to wood per liter since the casks are smaller, which is also aged less years than the tens, is even richer, and a fav of mine.....

[jwise]

Here are my notes from Lagavulin.

Lavavulin 16yr:


This was one of my first whiskies I ever bought older than 12yrs. In addition, it was the first bottle for which I paid $80 or more. I wanted a good example of an Islay, and after reading so much about this whisky (both online and in M. Jackson's book), I knew it was the one to get. I have nursed this bottle for nearly a year, and have enjoyed it over and over. I decided it was high-time to write a review of the whisky (before I finish it!), so here goes!

Nose: SMOKE! PEAT! Salty sea-spray. Warmth, and subtle hints of flora. This is the whisky that my wife says smells like FIRE! One night, I was drinking this wonderful dram and she starts asking if I smelled smoke (while looking around the house for a source of the inferno.) I say, "no, but I'm drinking a pretty powerful dram, so I probably can't smell anything." At this, she tells me to come closer and say something else. She found the source of the inferno...my breath! To say this whisky has an aroma is to say the Grand Canyon is a crack in the ground. In addition, if you're a bit stopped up, a good whiff of Laga 16 will open up those nostrils for sure.

M. Jackson stated: "More sherry", which I assume means he smelled a good bit of sherry in this whisky. I did not pick this up from the nose.

Body: heavy, rich, full-bodied whisky. I can almost CHEW on this dram! While I wouldn't call it smooth (although M. Jackson did), it is in fact delicious, which makes it easy to drink.

Palate: BIG PEAT and SMOKE. Building in intensity with the peppery spices. If your nostrils weren't sufficiently cleared by the aroma, they are now! There's more in there as well, but goodness if I can't discern it. I'm tasting apricots, marmalade, and spiced apples. The whisky isn't exactly sweet, but it has the hint of sweetness. The flavors are as though the sugar has been cooked out of it, but the base flavor remains. This monster has been meticulously balanced to deliver an incredibly WARM taste. I am sitting by the campfire, I have finished a wonderful spiced apple cobbler. The flavors are still on my tongue as I pull back on a maduro cigar. I am downwind, catching a face full of smoke (both from the fire and from the cigar). This whisky encapsulates this experience for me, which brings me to a place where happiness ensues. If you don't like campfires, smoking cigars, spiced apple cobbler, or whisky, then stay away from Lagavulin 16yr!

M. Jackson talks about the "sweetness of the sherry character," which I suppose was the flavor I was calling marmalade, apricot and apple cobbler!

Finish: The peat comes back, with some of the spiciness, as the dram warms the chest on its way down.

M. Jackson said this about the finish: "Huge, powerful, peaty, salty, embracing." I think that just about says it all.


I found the Laph 10yr to be much harsher, with a more robust smoke profile.
I liked it, and finished a bottle of it not too long ago.

[dirtysnkrs]

Thanks for the excellent description! Can't say my palate is sophisticated enough yet to pick out fruit aromas and the like, but totally relate to how you describe the experience.

This may be heresy, but I have been experimenting around with going back back and forth between the Lagavulin and the Laphroaig. One drink of one, then one drink of the other. Knocked back about 6 drinks in this manner the other night. Both have such huge lingering finishes that switching jars the senses a bit, but thats good because it makes me notice the difference, and within a few sips I'm completely acclimated to the different experience. So far I'm finding it impossible to say which one I like better! In short:

Laga: big smoke, lots of complex flavors, super smooth

Laph: HUGE smoke, intense but simpler flavor, definately commands notice

Can't wait to add the Ardbeg 10 to this mix and see where it falls.

[San Francisco]

I just finished a bottle of the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and I often drink the Lagavulin 16. Both are very smoky, quality single malts.

Personally, I find the Laphroaig a little rougher around the edges. It's slightly more medicinal and has a longer finish.

The Lagavulin is slightly smoother, less medicinal, yet more spicy and it has more of a medium-long, but drier finish.

I personally rate the Lagavulin 16 higher than the Laphroaig QC, but it is more expensive and both are good.

I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but hope that helps.

[jwise]

I was sipping on some Ardbeg Uigeadail last night. It is similar to the Lagavulin 16yr Distiller's Edition, in that it has some sherry influence on top of the smoke. It is VERY good...

[dirtysnkrs]

and as others have indicated, it splits the difference between the Laphroaig 10 and the Lagavulin 16 pretty nicely (price, smoothness, etc.). That said, I'm not yet convinced thats altogether a good thing.

my initial reaction is that the Ardbeg 10 makes too many compromises and comes out a bit muted in comparison to the other two. To use (somewhat tired and corny) metaphors for male virility, the Laph is like a young man in the prime of life when possibilities are endless, and the Laga embodies the "the most interesting man in the world" (sorry, I warned you). At first blush, the Ardbeg 10 is the middle-aged striver: yes he makes good money in a demanding career and he has a beautiful wife that everyone at the office is envious of, but he is so busy trying to be all things to all people that he forgets his own identity. Perhaps I give too much of myself away...

All of that said, I know that often something will take a while to grow on you. Hell, when i was in college i got puking drunk on some clear $10 whiskey that came in a 1.75L plastic bottle. I didn't touch whiskey for 15 years, until I started experimenting with Manhattans about two years ago. At the very least, when i run out of Laph and I dont want to squander the Laga, the Ardbeg won't go to waste.. I'm sure I will enjoy seeing if it grows on me :-)

[San Francisco]

Originally Posted by jwise

I was sipping on some Ardbeg Uigeadail last night. It is similar to the Lagavulin 16yr Distiller's Edition, in that it has some sherry influence on top of the smoke. It is VERY good...

Interesting. I figured the sherry influence would make it somewhat similar to the Uigeadail, but haven't tried it. Tried the Oban 1995 Distiller's Edition recently and it was excellent. Love the Uigeadail though. Have a bottle at home. Just finished my bottle of Nam Beist last night. Need to try toe Corryvreckan next...

[Islay Peat]

Originally Posted by dirtysnkrs

Was recommended Laphroaig 10 yr as an "out there" scotch, kind of like Bookers in bourbon. On a lark tried it; 180 degrees from JW Gold...loved it!

So, two questions: What do people think of Laphroaig vs Lagavulin? How about Ardbeg (which I have yet to try)?

I can't do Laphroaig vs. Lagavulin because I need both, but my overall favorite is the Ardbeg 10 - I could live with it and it alone if all else were gone!

Bookers is a different story altogether, but it belongs in the cupboard too!