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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- Port Charlotte 12 yo 2004 Highland Laird 57.3% vs Octomore 6.1 / 167 5 yo 57% vs Octomore 7.1 / 208 5 yo 59.5%
- Bowmore 11 yo 2001 / 2013 Berry Bros 20197 46% vs Bowmore 12 yo liquid Library 2001 / 2013 52.9%
- Ben Nevis 17 yo 1996 / 2014 The Nectar of the Daily Drams 49.3% vs Ben Nevis 1997 / 2015 Pearls of Scotland #614 50.9% vs Ben Nevis 16 yo 1998 / 2014 Lady of the Glen #1407 52.1%
- Dailuaine 34 yo 1980 Special Release 2015 50.9% vs Dalmore 27 yo 1990 / 2017 MacKillop’s Choice #252 54.6%
- Bruichladdich 21 yo 1993 / 2015 Douglas Laing DL10706 51.5% vs Bruichladdich 25 yo 1992 / 2017 Cadenhead 175th Anniv 53.8%
- Springbank 21 yo 1993 / 2015 Lockett Brothers #470 49.4% vs Cooley 22 yo 1991 / 2014 SMWS 117.5 55.5%
- Wardhead 19 yo 1997 Pisces Stellar Selections Japan #186 50.7% vs The Huntly Burnside 18 yo 1997 Dimensions Duncan Taylor #6481 52.5% vs Westport 18 yo 1997 The Oceans Duncan Taylor for Whisk-e Japan #1500071 58.4%
- Port Ellen 1979 / 2014 Gordon & Macphail R0/14/01 46% vs Port Ellen 35 yo 1978 / 2004 Douglas Laing for Alambic Classique DL655 61.1% vs Port Ellen 35 yo 1982 / 2018 Signatory 30th Anniversary #2040 55.1%
- Benromach 28 yo 1965 / 1993 Cadenhead 47.6% vs Laphroaig 10 yo ‘Original Cask Strength’ 57.3% 33.33cl duty free bottle
- Jura 21 yo 1992 / 2014 Hunter Laing for FassZination (Vom Fass) #VF10272 46% vs Jura 27 yo 1967 Stillman’s Dram 45%
