My favourite Islay.....

[IainB]

....of the regularly available bottlings was for a long long time Lagavulin 16 but I'm starting to switch my allegiance to Laphroaig 18 which has to be one of the finest peated malts available. There's a few other contenders like the Laphroaig quarter cask, Bowmore 25 and Bunna 25 but the first two are way ahead of the posse.

Any thoughts anyone?

As regards not so readily available ones I still haven't found anything quite like the Laga 21 from a few years back.

[Joel1802]

Ardbeg Oogy for me. One of my favourite Laphroaigs was the series of young refill sherry butts Signatory put out around six years ago, too bad they came to an end. Wonderfully austere.

Concur with the old Laga 21, or maybe a PE or '77 Ardbeg for hard to get.

[IainB]

I've never really got the Ardbeg thing though my experience of some of the older 'classics' is limited. I like the uigedail and the Corryvreckan but they wouldn't be in my top flight Islays!

[Joel1802]

My preference for the southern distilleries is for it to be from a refill cask, problem is that is hard to find in a consistent bottling. My favourite seems to be refill sherry butts.

[Luke Gough]

In my opinion any entirely sherry-matured Laphroaig is the best.

[JohnM]

Lagavulin 16 for me. I'll have to open my Laphroaig 18 to compare.

[Luke Gough]

Lagavulin 16 for me. I'll have to open my Laphroaig 18 to compare.

As I recall (and I'm open to correction) Laphroaig 18 is entirely bourbon-matured (first-fill Maker's Mark! )

The first batch is a legend (again, in my opinion) as, along with the vanilla-sweetness from the spirit and the barrel, the "coal dust" on the palate and finish have a "crackle" - awesome! (and only €73 a bottle when first released! ).

Subsequent releases, to my mind, have flagged a little. Still, a lovely drop if you have €90 to spare on a bottle (you'll get two bottles of Quarter Cask for that!)

[JohnM]

I've a couple of bottles of it, Luke, but they're later releases. I got them last year.

[Luke Gough]

I've a couple of bottles of it, Luke, but they're later releases. I got them last year.

My Motto is: "Buy Early!"

[Fionnán]

once upon a time i would have said Lagavulin 16 without a blink but, as hard as it is for me to say it, either they're not what they once were or i just have a rosy memory of my first encounters with them. As it stands, i'm a big fan of the Port Charlotte PC6 release. If we're talking about non-recent releases as well though, the 70's Ardbegs are difficult to top.

[Pudge72]

My whisky 'career' is only about two years along, but my original Lagavulin 16 experience was awesome. However, the most recent bottling that I have tasted (in my next door neighbours' cabinet) is not as smoke or full flavoured as the bottle in my cabinet, from just the previous year.

Port Charlotte 'An Turas Mor' (which is being replaced by The Peat Project in the near future, iirc) is one of my other favourites. Laph Quarter Cask and Ardbeg Uigeadail (fairly ahead of the Corryvreckan, imho) are also contenders. Generally, I do not like the 'vegetal/earthy' peat of most Caol Ila and Bowmore that I have had, as much as the 'sweet' peat of Laga 16 and Uigeadail.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Laga 16 used to me my fav too but again like others I seem to think the bilious smoke has greatly diminished.

Anything from Laphroaig is a always a firm favourite with the QC being a regular but have not one open currently as I have too many open but there are a couple in reserve .

I currently have Laph 10yo Cask strength Batch 1, 2 , 3 & 4. Cairdeas 2009 & 2010 a 15yo, 18yo & 30yo all on the go.

The Batch 4 is just brill.

Must give Port Charlotte a shot as I've not tried one in a long time. The price always turned me off for the early and very young versions.

I also enjoy Bunahabhainn 18yo and like Coal Ila very much too but have never got on with Ardbeg.

[Luke Gough]

Laga 16 used to me my fav too but again like others I seem to think the bilious smoke has greatly diminished.

Anything from Laphroaig is a always a firm favourite with the QC being a regular but have not one open currently as I have too many open but there are a couple in reserve .

I currently have Laph 10yo Cask strength Batch 1, 2 , 3 & 4. Cairdeas 2009 & 2010 a 15yo, 18yo & 30yo all on the go.

The Batch 4 is just brill.

Must give Port Charlotte a shot as I've not tried one in a long time. The price always turned me off for the early and very young versions.

I also enjoy Bunahabhainn 18yo and like Coal Ila very much too but have never got on with Ardbeg.

Did Leo give you that SMWS 9YO Sherried Laphroaig I gave him? Just checking...

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Did Leo give you that SMWS 9YO Sherried Laphroaig I gave him? Just checking...

Nearly forgot about that, No Luke, not yet but looking forward to it greatly. Sherried Laph mmmmm ....

Thanks a million

[Luke Gough]

Did Leo give you that SMWS 9YO Sherried Laphroaig I gave him? Just checking...

Nearly forgot about that, No Luke, not yet but looking forward to it greatly. Sherried Laph mmmmm ....

Thanks a million

Presuming Leo didn't "misplace" it...

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Held in bond, awaiting it's owner to relinquish it...

[bredman]

Ardbeg for me. And not because of the cult, Ardbeg 10 opened my eyes to malt whisky, i bought an L6 from a dusty wine shop near Lincoln Cathedral many years ago and it really got me going. Even though i'd been drinking malts for years i'd not ever been anywhere near a specialists, or even heard of Ardbeg. The 10yo and the 'Oogie are my favourites and have been for some years. It's nice to have some complexity poking it's head through the peat.

Like many i fell out of love with the Laga 16, many years ago now, but the 12 is ok. Laphroaig is my second over all, but only the 18yo and the 10yo CS really get my nads pumping, the rest of them i find just too oafish and clumsy and i find the 10 disappointing.

Coming up quickly behind Laphroaig is Kilchoman. I'm liking Kilchoman a lot. Maybe it's already in second place, thinking of the next bottle to open and i'm more eager for a Kilchoman.

[Pudge72]

Laga 16 used to me my fav too but again like others I seem to think the bilious smoke has greatly diminished.

Anything from Laphroaig is a always a firm favourite with the QC being a regular but have not one open currently as I have too many open but there are a couple in reserve .

I currently have Laph 10yo Cask strength Batch 1, 2 , 3 & 4. Cairdeas 2009 & 2010 a 15yo, 18yo & 30yo all on the go.

The Batch 4 is just brill.

Must give Port Charlotte a shot as I've not tried one in a long time. The price always turned me off for the early and very young versions.

- I will be giving Lagavulin 16 another chance in the future with a 200 mL bottle in the stash from the Diageo pack that includes Talisker 10, and Cragganmore 12. My next Laga purchase (whenever that may be) will likely be the 12 CS.
- A bottle of QC is waiting to be opened (I'm holding off on my never ending quest to keep my open bottle collection to less than 30. )
- I am hoping/hopeful that the LCBO in Ontario brings in the Laph 10 CS. A bottle will hopefully find its way into my cabinet if that happens.
- The PC 'An Turas Mor' is well priced, at least on this side of the pond where the ATM is 40-50% cheaper than its' more recently released sibling, the PC9.

[Good Whiskey Hunting]

I liked the old Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old.Its an easy Islay to drink.
I haven't tried the new one but hopefully it hasn't been tweaked too much.

I also like Lagavulin and Laphroaig , but I don't have any experience with the non standard.

[Luke Gough]

I liked the old Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old.Its an easy Islay to drink.
I haven't tried the new one but hopefully it hasn't been tweaked too much.

I also like Lagavulin and Laphroaig , but I don't have any experience with the non standard.

FYI the new Bunna 12 and Bunna 18 are MAGNIFICENT.

Here's Ralfy Mitchell to explain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn5m5jR3yDk

[Good Whiskey Hunting]

Great review. I'll have to refer to Ralfy in future.
I got a bottle of Black Bottle a few years ago and enjoyed it too and now I know why.
Have you tried it?

[Luke Gough]

Great review. I'll have to refer to Ralfy in future.
I got a bottle of Black Bottle a few years ago and enjoyed it too and now I know why.
Have you tried it?

Once or twice, there's a debate over the current quality

[Fionnán]

I had a bunnahabhain 12 at Mulligans the other night (I believe it was from a new bottle) and i'd happily agree with Luke's comment above. Herbal, unusual, and utterly entrancing stuff

[Good Whiskey Hunting]

I dug out a bottle of 8 year old Bowmore and I'm really impressed with it. Great flavours for a young malt. It makes me want to taste more mature ones. As I said I've little experience with Scottish malts but may explore a bit.
Ah just had a second sip..

[JohnM]

A good replacement to the old Lagavulin 21 is the new Lagavulin 19-year-old for Feis Ile or the one for last year's jazz festival... You might have to fork out £200+ for it, but that's not bad compared to what you'd pay for the 21.

Maybe theyll bottle a 20-year-old next year.