Fake Lagavulin 16

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  • jottabr
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    Joined: 09.02.2019Posts: 7Collectionjottabrs CollectionRatings: 0

    Hello,


    I tried search in the website, but nothing was found.


    So, I already tried 3 bottles of Lagavulin 16. The classic peaty whisky which I love it. They all seemed quite similar (as it should?). From the moment I first opened the bottle, it was as if immediately a cloud of smoke was in the room, and I could smell the bonfire. Very pleasant.


    I bought a new one now in Russia, it has all the stamps and marks and it seems legit, but when I opened there's no distinctive smell. I felt it, in the very end, but not as abrupt as the other ones. It was in a large chain of supermarket and as I said, it looks really legit.


    How can I spot a fake one? Does anyone have a tip? Now, after 2 weeks, it started to feel the peat a little bit more.... but in my mind I have a very different recollection of this whisky.


    Am I in different taste, the bottle has different profile, or it's just my impression?


    Thank you! :-)














  • jottabr
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    Joined: 09.02.2019Posts: 7Collectionjottabrs CollectionRatings: 0
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    As an update, I just bought a Caol Ila 12yo and the peat feels more strong on this one.


    I guess it was a bad one... :-(

  • landover Member Joined: 16.02.2019Posts: 3CollectionLandover's Whisky CollectionRatings: 1
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    @jottabr 


    I have a Lagavulin 16 which I bought a few years ago and recently a friend of mine got me a new bottle for Christmas. It has a similar taste but its aroma wasn't the same I had your same doubt... I think that the standard quality of Lagavulin production is getting lower during last years due to the huge increase of sells. 


    In my opinion, it wasn't a fake one. It's just a matter of batch...


    Cheers, Vinc!

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  • jottabr
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    @landover Thank you for your reply... Yes actually if I put a small ice and leave it alone for 15min more or less the smoke starts to come... other than that, very alcoholic aroma.


    I'll try Ardbeg, they say it's a great whisky!

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  • bedlamborn Member bedlamborn Joined: 18.09.2016Posts: 611Collectionbedlamborns CollectionRatings: 21
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    @jottabr 

    Lagavulin I have heard can be up and down a bit with the latest batches, bur if there is truth to that I don't know.


    However one has to be careful about fakes. As one can empty a bottle and then put like a winecover over the cork so that it looks like new again. Ralfy the vlogger did an episode on that. It is very interesting. Don't know if @horst_s has done any episode on fake bottles yet.

  • TheGreatMothra Member TheGreatMothra Joined: 30.03.2016Posts: 27CollectionRatings: 160
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    @bedlamborn Yeah, I reckon the quality is definitely down. I've got a bottle on the go at the moment (16Y) which I picked up last month. The intensity just isn't what it used to be a couple of years ago. I'm not sure if they're working with lower quality casks, or what, but the whole experience just feels watered down.

  • landover Member Joined: 16.02.2019Posts: 3CollectionLandover's Whisky CollectionRatings: 1
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    @TheGreatMothra 

    I’ve just compared the two bottle again and the mainly difference is the aroma. The new one has a strange peat smoke aroma and flavor.. something of chemical... very disappointed. 


    I agree who says that recent batches are not as good as before. 


    Vinc. 



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  • jottabr
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    , edited February 23 2019 at 5:02PM
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    @bedlamborn Yeah, I reckon the quality is definitely down. I've got a bottle on the go at the moment (16Y) which I picked up last month. The intensity just isn't what it used to be a couple of years ago. I'm not sure if they're working with lower quality casks, or what, but the whole experience just feels watered down.


    landover said:

    @TheGreatMothra 

    I’ve just compared the two bottle again and the mainly difference is the aroma. The new one has a strange peat smoke aroma and flavor.. something of chemical... very disappointed. 


    I agree who says that recent batches are not as good as before. 


    Vinc. 




    Well, that's good and bad news at the same time. It's definetely different... I've tried three bottles (Lagavulin 16y was my initiation on Islay). The new one and fourth was not so good... but it seems it was not fake, it's the batch.

    With that in mind... I bought Caol Ila 12Y and Ardbeg 10Y. Opened the Ardbeg today and it was very pleasant. Another cheaper option to me. But I miss that Lagavulin intensity...

    It's good to know though, that we have a very few options! I really like peaty whisky and cannot turn my head other way.

    Thank you for your reply.

    ps: The Ardbeg leaves my mouth watering at the finish... do you feel the same? Is there some characteristics for that? Salty?

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  • bedlamborn Member bedlamborn Joined: 18.09.2016Posts: 611Collectionbedlamborns CollectionRatings: 21
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    @jottabr 

    i think that Ardbeg has  dry finish. Dry wood tannins and no much malt sweetness.

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  • Snelius Member Joined: 25.01.2019Posts: 15CollectionSnelius CollectionRatings: 0
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    Oh, so sad to hear about the Lagavulin. I'm just ready to buy my first 16yo bottle (this one only Islay brand I never tasted) but I don't know now. Maybe I need to wait for some updates...

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  • whiskytrade Member Joined: 04.03.2019Posts: 8CollectionSuntory Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, Chita, Nikka, KaruizawaRatings: 0
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    @Snelius I'm on the same boat as you now...

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