Lagavulin 1995 Distillers Edition bottled 2013

nose: kippers, brine and sea water, strawberry jam, sweet, and a ray of pure red fruit, like sunshine coming through a cloudy day (if you take my meaning)

palate: much sweeter than the 16, a woody sweetness, which yields slightly to a very salted caramel and smokiness. light tar, and a definite sootiness. walnuts, cured ham.

finish: finish is reminiscent of the 16, but there's more ham, and the fruit is more noticeably red. a bitter tar runs in the back, but all in the manner of a charming Lagavulin.

This is very clearly Lagavulin, but emphasizing the subtle sweetness, there is distinctly red fruit running through this (it is PX finish, after all), and a gentle ham. The aromas and flavors are more distinct than in the 16, but it's less seductive in feel. All the same, this remains an excellent bottling, though it falls just behind the slightly better integrated 16.

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