LAGAVULIN 12 ans Specially Selected

Nose : subtle and deep, authentic. Powerfully peaty and salty, the pace is set by candied orange and red fruit (strawberry), which is soon accompanied by honey, leather and a note of beef stock. Like an ointment, camphor, mint and pepper come together in a crescendo. All elements finally unite in dill and salmon, leather tannins and cedar-wood fragrances.

Palate : marine yet sunny. Peat leads a virtuoso symphony of fig, orange jam and abundant liquorice which is broken up by the addition of vanilla and the sweetness of coconut milk and broom. Oak reasserts itself and imposes a spicy (ginger) and cocoa register, without any bum notes.

Overall : interminable, stretching to the horizon. Mentholated and surprisingly fresh, the finish gives way to bitter orange and quince jelly. The score, which is more jazzy here, culminates in nougat, cumin and acacia honey underscored by the generosity of a Cuban cigar.