Lagavulin is one of those distilleries not overly crazy on having their name on independent bottlings. That’s not to say that they don’t sell young spirit, on the contrary, and it’s not even that hard to come by, but it’s still not common to see indies telling you where it’s from. But wait, that’s not Lagavulin, it’s “Like A Villain”, how clever!
Photo Credit: whiskyfacile.com
Photo Credit: thespiritstill.com
The Spirit Still “Like A Villain” – Lagavulin 9 Côtes du Rhône French Oak Wine Cask Finish (52% ABV, NCF, NC)
Appearance: Light Rose wine, necklace with slow droplets.
Nose: Earthy maltiness, canned peaches and fresh apricots with some baked cinnamon. Smoke and brine, in a very fresh, almost “Ardbeggy” minerality. There is a hint of ginger and a warm floral note.
Palate: Bitter citrus rind, pepper, some rock fruit and a hit of peat. There is a bit of honey on the palate, a little bit of wine tannins and some of the dry Lagavulin peat.
Linger: Peat and a spicy bitterness on the sides of the tongue, and a bit of sweetness on the tongue. Quite a bit of spiciness around the gullet, in a linger that isn’t quite as long as I would expect from such a peated dram.
Conclusion
As a wine matured/finished aficionado, I can’t help but think that this was a bit of a miss as it needed more (a lot more) wine influence. I undersand the thinking behind pulling it out so soon, leaving it more in line for those less enamored with wine finishes, but I would have liked a lot more of the wine in there.