White Horse America’s Cup 43% vs Pillaged Malt 10 yo Vatted Malt 57.1% ~ 1st edition bottled 2003
This head to head comes courtesy of a friend who clearly loves Lagavulin.
White Horse America’s Cup 43% ~ 1987
Note this qualifies as a 12 yo Scotch Whisky. It does nose like a blend, but in those days the attention to quality is evident. This is built around a Lagavulin but the white smoke feels clean and bouyant, and it lacks the dry oiliness of Lagavulin. Amazingly not a trace of young grain nor feints. The Lagavulin heart must have been substantial as reverberating echoes of the fantastic 12 yo can be felt here with deep earthy phenols, soot, caked up grime, seawater and catch of the day. Also simple and light enough for easy mindless drinking. 85 pts
Pillaged Malt 10 yo Vatted Malt 57.1% ~ 1st edition bottled 2003
Lagavulin wasn’t made available to independents at that time but cheers for a great cause here. A fund raising team rowed around Islay and ‘pillaged’ malt from Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila and Bowmore which was vatted and bottled at Bruichladdich (in a very Diageo bottle).
Unmistakably heavily peated, but somehow the suggestion of a large Laphroaig and Caol Ila constituent is evident. On the nose its got iodine and a medicinal growl, and also a burning grass and fresh sea weed zing. The tongue it’s where the sweet medicinal, earth and tar start to emerge and it’s gets boisterous. Rooty, salty, liquorice and cough syrup. A bit of a cage match for the heavy peat, good fun for whiskies not really meant to be blended. 88 pts
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