Lagavulin 12 year old (Diageo Special Release 2015)

As pale as you'd expect, this year’s Special Release ‘limited’ bottling has a sweet, bready softness to it making it less angular than previous expressions. The smoke comes across very gently, allowing the sweet grassiness of the spirit the upper hand until water is added. The palate stirs in some emulsion paint, a pleasing lift of sulfur and anise, and gradually deepens. With water there are more smoke and marine notes.