I guess the eBay period is almost over for these Feis Ile bottlings, so let’s publish my take on the Lagavulin Feis Ile 2014. Like previous years, it’s taken from sherry casks.
Lagavulin 1995 ‘Feis Ile’ (54,7%, OB 2014, European sherry oak butts, 3500 btl.)
Nose: excellent, focused nose with a backbone of coastal notes: shells, oysters, waxed rain coats, flints and brine. Big medicinal notes, mainly iodine. Plasticine. Also sweeter notes like oranges and berries, as well as some honey, although the sherry doesn’t overpower in any way. Smoky lemon juice. Rose pepper. Tobacco. More on the sharp, edgy side of sherried Lagavulins, but quite perfect really.
Mouth: oily, with plenty of tar, ashes and soot. Highly medicinal again, salty and immensely full-bodied. Sharp but it mixes nicely with yellow and pink grapefruits, Seville oranges and dark Lapsang tea. Then some honey sweetness and hints of dried apricots. Sweet liquorice. A fair dose of oak as well.
Finish: very long, with lots of wood smoke and cigars. Cinnamon. Tobacco. Still a striking balance of sharpness and sweetness.
Excellent Lagavulin, similar in style to the 2012 release of the 21 Year Old. Originally around € 125, which is really cheap for a near-20yo (considering the official 21yo was around € 500). Most of these Lagavulin Feis Ile releases are top-notch and this one in particular is just great. An instant classic.
Score: 93/100